Hong Kong (香港 Heūng Góng in Cantonese, meaning Fragrant Harbor) is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. It is a place with multiple personalities as a result of being both Cantonese Chinese and having been under British colonization. Today, the former British colony is a major tourism destination for China's increasingly affluent mainland population. It is an important hub in East Asia with global connections to many of the world's cities. It is a unique destination that has absorbed people and cultural influences from places as diverse as Vietnam and Vancouver and proudly proclaims itself to be Asia's World City.

Hong Kong is one of the two Special Administrative Regions (SAR) of China (the other being Macau). Before the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997, Hong Kong had been a British colony for nearly 150 years. As a result, most infrastructure inherits the design and standards of Britain. During the 1950s to 1990s, the city-state developed rapidly, becoming the first of the "Four Asian Tigers" through the development of a strong manufacturing base and later a financial sector. Hong Kong is now famous for being a leading financial center in East Asia, with the presence of local and some of the most recognized banks from around the world. Hong Kong is also famous for its transition port, transporting a significant volume of exports from China to the rest of the world. With its political and legal independence, Hong Kong is known as the Oriental Pearl with a twist of British influence in the culture.

Hong Kong is much more than a harbor city. The traveler weary of its crowded streets may be tempted to describe it as Hong Kongcrete. Yet, this territory with its cloudy mountains and rocky islands is mostly a rural landscape. Much of the countryside is classified as Country Park and, although 7 million people are never far away, it is possible to find pockets of wilderness that will reward the more intrepid tourist.

Archaeological findings date the first human settlements in the area back to more than 30,000 years ago. It was first incorporated into China during the Qin Dynasty and largely remained under Chinese rule until 1841 during the Qing Dynasty, with a brief interruption at the end of the Qin Dynasty, when a Qin official established the kingdom of Nam Yuet, which later fell to the Han Dynasty.

In January 1841, as a result of the defeat of the Qing Dynasty of China in the First Opium War, the Chinese government were forced into ceding Hong Kong Island in perpetuity to the British Crown under the Convention of Chuanpee, beginning the British administration of Hong Kong. The agreement was later rectified in August 1842 in the Treaty of Nanking, after which the Crown Colony of Hong Kong was established with Victoria City (present day Central) as the capital. After the defeat of China in the Second Opium War, the Kowloon Peninsula was occupied by Britain in 1860 as a result of the Convention of Peking, adding to the Crown Colony. A 99-year lease of additional land on the mainland (the New Territories) and surrounding islands for defense and further development was granted in 1898 as the colony's final territorial change.

When World War II broke out, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared that Hong Kong was an "impregnable fortress." However, it was only a reality check for the British as most of their troops were tied down fighting the Germans in Europe, and Hong Kong was not given enough resources for its defense. As a result, after just slightly more than two weeks of fighting, Hong Kong was surrendered to the Japanese on 25 December 1941, making it the first time the British lost a colony to an invading force. After the war, despite American assurances that Hong Kong would be restored to China, the British moved quickly to regain control of Hong Kong. However, they had lost their aura of invincibility and could not continue to rule Hong Kong the way they used to before the war and all racist restrictions on non-Europeans owning property on prime real estate land were lifted. Hong Kong's post war recovery was astonishingly swift and within 2-3 months all post-war economic restrictions were lifted and Hong Kong became a free market once again.

After the communists took control of mainland China in 1949, many Chinese people, especially businessmen, fled to Hong Kong due to persecution by the communist government. Unlike the restrictive policies imposed by the communists in China, the British government took a rather hands off approach in Hong Kong, as proposed by former financial secretary John James Cowperthwaite, which led to a high degree of economic freedom. Under such conditions, businesses flourished in Hong Kong and its economy grew rapidly, earning it a place as one of the East Asian Tigers. In 1990, Hong Kong's GDP per capita surpassed that of Britain, the first time a colony's GDP per capita surpassed that of its colonial masters. Hong Kong is now the world's fourth-largest financial centre after London, New York and Tokyo.

The first Boundary Stone along the Anglo-Chinese Boundary at Chung Ying Street

The massive influx of mainland Chinese refugees led to the rise of the Kowloon Walled City, which was a convolution of maze-like alleys, utter darkness, cramped space, and unsanitary conditions. Reports claim that dog meat was served (something which is quite common in Mainland China, but considered intolerable by the British) and that unlicensed physicians practised there. The Walled City was evacuated and subsequently demolished in 1993, and the Kowloon Walled City Park was built on the site.

After negotiations between China and Britain in 1984, it was declared that the New Territories and outlying islands were to be given back to China in 1997. As Hong Kong developed, these regions became heavily integrated with the permanent cession. As a result, by the time the lease was approaching expiration, it was considered highly impractical to separate the colony into two. Initial British proposals for joint administration of the entire colony were rejected by China and the international community, and in 1984 the Sino-British Joint Declaration created a "one country, two systems" policy on the Question of Hong Kong, giving Hong Kong back to China on 1 July 1997. Hong Kong thus became a SAR of the People's Republic of China. Under the principle "One Country, Two Systems", Hong Kong is to be granted a high degree of autonomy for at least 50 years after the handover, including remaining in charge of its own capitalistic economy, maintaining a separate border and immigration control from China, and not being affected by various restrictions that apply in mainland China such as news censorship and foreign exchange controls.

In accordance with the Joint Declaration, the Basic Law was enacted to serve in effect as a mini-constitution for the Hong Kong SAR. In theory, Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy in most matters except foreign affairs and defense. In practice, it is more complex than that. On the one hand, Beijing exerts much influence, on the other, there are increasing calls pushing for a more democratic regime and universal suffrage. In fact, the campaign for full democracy has been a major issue for China regarding Hong Kong in recent years, with protests drawing hundreds of thousands of residents demanding for full elections and denouncing the Chinese Communist Party, with some even proposing outright independence from China. In fact, Hong Kong today is far more democratic than it ever was under British rule. In those days, a colonial governor with unlimited powers was appointed by the British without any local election or input at all. Now, a chief executive, chosen by an electoral college, has replaced the Colonial Governor.

Hong Kong Christian Churches Union Pok Fu Lam Road Cemetery

Although part of China, Hong Kong operates like a tiny country with its own currency, laws, international dialing code, police force, border controls and the like. It is also a member of international organizations that are normally restricted to sovereign states such as the WTO, APEC and the IOC.

The majority of Hong Kong's population are Han Chinese (93.6%), mostly of Cantonese ancestry, though there are also sizeable numbers of other Chinese groups such as Chiuchao (Teochews), Shanghainese and Hakkas. A significant number of Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese live here too, and many have families that have lived in Hong Kong for several generations.

The large numbers of Filipinos, Indonesians, and Thais, most of whom are employed as domestic helpers also live in Hong Kong. On Sundays, the free day of many foreign domestic workers, they congregate in the thousands in Central and Admiralty and spend the day there together, sitting talking, eating and drinking wherever there is free space. Several whole streets in the Central area are blocked off for foreign domestic helpers on Sundays.

Hong Kong is also home to a significant number of people hailing from Australia, Europe, Japan, Korea and North America, making it a truly international metropolis.

The people of Hong Kong are somewhat reserved, but very friendly, especially to children. A few words of Cantonese learned will ingratiate you further. Greeting with Nihao (你好, "hello" in Mandarin) will not serve the purpose, however, as the local language here is Cantonese. A simple "hello" would be good enough, but if you insist, you can say Nei-ho (你好 in Cantonese) to greet local people and they will appreciate you for respecting their local culture which is distinctive from that in Mainland China.

What the traveler will notice is the sheer volume of people and their density. Whilst Mong Kok is seen as the indicator of the worst of this, even in the other areas of Kowloon, you will still struggle for personal space. Whilst bumping into people (accidentally of course) is very common, it isn't considered particularly bad manners and you are unlikely to upset the locals, especially if you give a short apology.

Hong Kong has a sub-tropical climate, but is cooled in winter by sea breezes. Summer (June to September) is long, humid and hot with temperatures often exceeding 32°C (90°F) and with night time temperatures that do not drop below 25°C (77°F). Typhoons usually occur between June and September and can bring a halt to local business activities for a day or less (see natural disaster section).

Winters are generally very mild, with daytime temperatures of 18-22°C (64–72°F) but with nights dipping into 10°C (50°F) and below sometimes, especially in the countryside. Christmas in Hong Kong is considered warm compared with many other Northern Hemisphere countries. Chinese New Year is notorious for cold (10°C/50°F), wet weather; this is because winter in Hong Kong tends to start out mild and dry and then turn a bit cool and wet later, though the cool weather is brief.

Spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November/December) have average temperature between 21-24°C (70-5°F). Autumn is probably a more comfortable season as spring tends to be more humid and rainy.

Although most buildings in Hong Kong have air-conditioning to cope with the summer weather, winter heating is something of a novelty. During the coldest days, most locals simply wear more layers even indoors. In a restaurant for example, it is not unusual to see customers eating with their jackets and scarves on.

Its quick rise as an economic power and unique mix of East and West has made Hong Kong an interesting destination to write about. Much has been written about its history, politics, economy, culture and social matters, and it has figured as an ideal background in many fictional works as well. Reading some of these books enables you to further understand the culture of Hong Kong before actually visiting it.

Myself a Mandarin (Oxford in Asia), Austin Coates. This book contains the memoirs of Austin Coates. Each chapter is an entertaining episode of the Englishman's time as a colonial magistrate in the New Territories district.

East and West: China, Power, and the Future of Asia (Macmillan), Chris Patten. The memoirs of Chris Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong. Published in 1998, Patten provides his account of Hong Kong in the final years before the handover to China.

Gweilo: Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood (Bantam Books), Martin Booth. A well-written book that offers an insight into colonial life in Hong Kong through the eyes of a young English boy.

Hong Kong: Epilogue to an Empire (Penguin Books), Jan Morris. In this well-written and detailed overview of the territory by a noted Welsh travel writer. Morris alternates chapters on Hong Kong's history with descriptions of its geography, economy, politics and society. The book includes descriptive portraits of some of Hong Kong's leading politicians and entrepreneurs.

The World of Suzie Wong (Fontana Press) Richard Mason. A classic novel published in 1957, later adapted to film in 1960. Set in Hong Kong, it is the fictional story of a young expat's romance with a Chinese woman.

Hong Kong Landscapes: Shaping the Barren Rock (Hong Kong University Press), Bernie Owen and Raynor Shaw. Beautifully illustrated, this is a fascinating guide to the territory's geology and geomorphology.

Chungking Express, 1994, Wong Kar-wai. The unrelated stories of two love-struck cops in Hong Kong. Its colourful and fast cinematography has been admired by Quentin Tarantino.

The World of Suzie Wong, 1960. Based on the novel by Richard Mason, it is the fictional story of an expat's affair with a Chinese woman. The film has interesting footage of Hong Kong in the late 1950s.

For its electrical sockets, Hong Kong uses the British three-pin rectangular blade plug (type G). Additionally, some hotels will have a bathroom with a parallel three-pin outlet which is designed for use with electric shavers, but might be used to re-charge a phone or rechargeable batteries. Electricity is 220 Volts at 50 Hertz. Most electronic stores will have cheap ($15-20) adapters that will allow foreign plugs to fit into British sockets, but be aware that these will not convert voltage or frequency.

Often, when you buy a tablet or mobile in your home country, you will get multiple plugs for different countries for the one device. Simply convert the plug over (assuming the voltage is the same) from your home plug to the British style plug before you go, as this will minimise the number of adapters you need to purchase.

Hong Kong Island (香港島) (Central, East Coast, South Coast)The site of the original British settlement and the main focus of most tourists. Most of Hong Kong's highest skyscrapers and the financial centre can be found here. Overall, Hong Kong Island is more modern and wealthy and considerably less dirty than the other areas of Hong Kong. The Peak is the tallest point on the island, with the best views and highest real estate values in the world.

Kowloon (九龍)The peninsula to the north of Hong Kong Island, with great views of the island. It offers a chaotic mix of malls, street markets, and residential tenements. With over 2.1 million people living in an area of less than 47 square kilometres, Kowloon is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Kowloon includes Tsim Sha Tsui (尖沙咀), the location of many budget hotels and Mong Kok (旺角), a shopping district. Kowloon city (九龍城區), is worth the visit. Full of local restaurants, this area is famous for Thaï food, the amazing Wall City Park and the Kowloon Tsai park with an incredible swimming pool. This is one of the last area in town where you can find low rise buildings. In fact, 10 years ago, the airport was very close by and it was not allowed to build more than 5 floors buildings. Walking around is a taste of local life.

New Territories (新界)Named by British officials when leased from the Chinese government in 1898, the New Territories contain a curious mix of small farms, villages, industrial installations, mountainous country parks and towns that have populations the size of some cities.

Lantau Island (大嶼山)A large island west of Hong Kong Island. You will not find many idyllic villages, but once you get over the stray dogs and the ramshackle buildings you will find beautiful mountains and beaches. The airport, Disneyland, and the Ngong Ping cable car are located here.

Outlying Islands (離島)Well-known weekend destinations for the locals, the Outlying Islands are most of the islands surrounding Hong Kong Island. Highlights include Lamma (南丫島), well known for its seafood and Cheung Chau (長洲), a small island that used to be a pirates' den, but now attracts seafood aficionados, windsurfers and sunbathing day trippers.

The visa exemption period does not include the date of entry. For example, an Indian citizen who enters Hong Kong on 1 January and is given permission to land and stay as a visitor for 14 days from the date of entry is permitted to stay without a visa until 15 January.

If your flight/ferry arrives in Hong Kong late in the evening, if you wait until after midnight to clear immigration, you will be able to stay in Hong Kong for an extra day. For example, a Filipino citizen whose flight arrives in Hong Kong at 11:30pm on 31 December can wait in the arrivals area until after midnight (i.e. after 00:00 on 1 January) to clear immigration so that he/she can stay in Hong Kong until 23:59 on 15 January, rather than until 23:59 on 14 January.

Also, if you plan to take a flight/ferry departing from Hong Kong very early in the morning (just after midnight), you can take a flight/ferry one day later by making sure that you clear immigration before 23:59 the day before. As an illustration, a Filipino citizen who has permission to stay in Hong Kong until 23:59 on 15 January can book a flight leaving Hong Kong at 01:00 on 16 January as long as he/she clears immigration by 23:59 on 15 January.

Save time if you are a regular visitor
by registering to use the e-Channel. Instead of clearing passport control at a manned counter, you can avoid the queues by going through an automated barrier which uses fingerprint recognition technology.

Hong Kong maintains a separate and independent immigration system from that of mainland China and Macau. If required, the Hong Kong visa has to be applied for separately from the mainland Chinese one, and there is no single visa that serves both areas. Similarly, if required, the Hong Kong visa has to be applied for separately from the Macau one. There are border checks when travelling between mainland China and Hong Kong, and also between Hong Kong and Macau. If you wish to enter Hong Kong from mainland China, then re-enter mainland China, make sure you have a multiple-entry Chinese visa.

Nationals of India who wish to travel to Hong Kong must obtain the Pre-Arrival registration, PAR. You can get it immediately, and there is no charge. You will need to take a physical print out of the PAR before you board the flight to Hong Kong. Beware of scam sites that purport to do the same thing and then charge you for it.

All visitors (regardless of whether visa-free or not) may be required to demonstrate evidence of adequate funds and confirmed booking for the onward journey.

Visitors with a work/study/residence visa are considered Hong Kong residents, and are able to use the Hong Kong residents counters at immigration.

All holders of an APEC Business Travel Card can use the counters for Hong Kong residents at immigration control and can stay for up to 60 days in Hong Kong visa-free if their card has 'HKG' printed on the reverse.

Chinese citizens from mainland China need to apply for an Exit-entry permit (往來港澳通行證) to enter Hong Kong, except when transiting through Hong Kong to/from a foreign country, in which case visa-free access is granted for up to 7 days.

Holders of Macau permanent identity cards or Visit Permits with permanent resident status can enter Hong Kong visa-free for up to 180 days. Holders of Macao Visit Permits without permanent resident status can enter Hong Kong visa-free for up to 30 days. See Visit/Transit Arrangements to Hong Kong for Macao Residents for more details.

All visitors to Hong Kong must complete an arrival card when clearing immigration and must return a departure card at immigration control when leaving Hong Kong – unless you are a Hong Kong resident (with a Hong Kong identity card or a passport with a residence/employment/study visa), a Macao permanent resident (with a Macao smart identity card) or a Chinese citizen (with a travel document （往來港澳通行證 or 因公往來香港澳門特別行政區通行證) issued by the Mainland China authorities).

You passport/travel document will not be stamped on arrival or on departure. Instead, you will receive a landing slip when you clear immigration control on arrival which states the last date and the conditions of your permitted stay in Hong Kong. You should keep this landing slip during your stay in Hong Kong as proof that you are staying legally. However, losing this landing slip will not affect your ability to clear immigration control when you leave Hong Kong. For more information, visit this Immigration Department webpage.

NOTE: Overstaying is a serious offence – you can be fined up to $50,000 and/or imprisoned for up to three years.
If you enter Hong Kong as a visitor, you must not take up any employment (paid or unpaid), study or establish/join a business. If you breach your conditions of stay, you can be fined up to $50,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 2 years. If you do intend the work, study or establish/join a business, you must obtain the appropriate visa.
If you make a false statement to an immigration officer or are in possession of a forged travel document, you can be fined up to $14,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 14 years.

China Travel Services HK (CTS) has an office at the arrivals area of Hong Kong Airport and can process visas to China on the spot. A photograph will be required. Alternatively, the cheapest way to obtain a visa for mainland China is to apply for one at the Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong, where a single-entry visa costs HKD200 and a double-entry visa costs HKD300 for most foreign nationals and takes 4 working days to be issued. The visa can be issued within 3 working days for an additional HKD200 or within 2 working days for an additional HKD300. See the price list for more information.

A traveller aged 18 or above is allowed to bring into Hong Kong – for his/her own use – as part of his/her duty-free allowance:

1 litre of alcoholic liquor with an alcoholic strength above 30% by volume measured at a temperature of 20°C (68°F)

19 cigarettes OR 1 cigar OR 25g of cigars OR 25g (.88 oz) of other manufactured tobacco

If the traveller holds a Hong Kong Identity Card, he/she must have spent 24 hours or longer outside Hong Kong to benefit from the duty-free allowance relating to alcoholic liquor.

Note that you are not permitted to take more than two tins (1.8kg) of powdered milk formula (such as baby formula) out of Hong Kong.

NOTE: If you fail to declare any banned or dutiable items, you can be fined up to $1,000,000 and/or face a prison sentence of up to two years. If you are caught trafficking drugs, you can be fined up to $5,000,000 and face up to life imprisonment.

Hong Kong International Airport (IATA: HKG), also known as Chek Lap Kok 赤鱲角 (the name of the small island containing the airport), is located just north of Lantau Island and west of Hong Kong Island. Designed by Sir Norman Foster, the airport opened in July 1998 and has since been named "World's Best Airport" by Skytrax 8 times.

As the major hub airport in the region, there are many direct flights to Hong Kong from every continent in the world. Most major cities in Europe and North America are all served with at least one daily flight, and flights between Hong Kong and other major cities in Asia and Oceania are frequent. Cathay Pacific operates one of the longest air routes in the world, between Hong Kong and New York (JFK). Major carriers at the airport are Cathay Pacific, its subsidiary airline Cathay Dragon (recently renamed from Dragonair, mostly operates routes within China as well as some routes to other parts of Asia), Hong Kong Airlines, and Hong Kong Express.

There are two terminals connected via an underground shuttle train. Terminal 2 is a check-in only facility, all flights depart from Terminal 1. All arrivals are at Terminal 1. You can clear security at either terminal. There are more shopping opportunities before security at T2, but its shops close earlier. There are lots of shopping opportunities in T1 after security as well.

Services at Hong Kong International Airport are generally far better, or at least on par, with those at other major international airports. There is an efficient post office in the airport, providing boxes, wrapping material, scissors, and tape. Mailing items is sometimes cheaper and easier than paying airline baggage fees. The airport has free Wi-Fi. There is a manned left-luggage facility in the arrival hall, costing $140 per day per bag.

The efficiency of the airport is relatively high. But keep in mind that the airport is operating at its capacity limits and very susceptible to strong winds during and after typhoons, causing long delays and even detours to nearby airports. Consider this when planning trips and allow sufficient transfer times during windy seasons. Delays arising from stringent air traffic control in mainland China are common and often affects the punctuality of regional routes.

Hong Kong Air Port Customer Care

To travel between the airport and the city:

Airport Express is the quickest and most comfortable way to travel to Hong Kong Station in Central (24 minutes, $115 single/same-day return, $205 return), Kowloon Station ($105 single/same-day return, $185 return), or Tsing Yi Station ($70 single/same-day return, $120 return). Trains run every 10-12 minutes. All stations have free porters to help you get heavy bags on and off of the train; there is no need to tip. Children aged 3-11 get a 50% discount. If you travel with other people you can get a group discount if you buy your ticket from the staff at the ticket counter. If you take a taxi ride for $60 or more to reach Kowloon or Tsing Yi station, you are entitled to a 50% discount on the single journey fare. Tourist travel passes sometimes include a return journey on the Airport Express and some airlines sell discounted tickets in the duty-free shop onboard flights. As of July 2017, you can also buy Airport Express tickets (single and return) online in advance at a 40% discount through Hong Thai travel agency (website in Chinese and English, except the webpage after the shopping basket – just click the blue button in the right-hand grey box to continue the booking process) or a 45% off discount through KKday. A cheap way to get to Central is to take the Airport Express to Tsing Yi, and change to the Tung Chung MTR line to Hong Kong Station, which costs $70 in total (one-way) with an Octopus card. A free connection from the Airport Express to the MTR is offered if you use the same Octopus Card to change from the Airport Express to the MTR at Central, Kowloon or Tsing Yi stations. The transfer is free no matter which station you exit the MTR. Free transfers on shuttle buses to/from various nearby hotels are also provided for users of the Airport Express.

A much cheaper way is to take the S1 or S56 bus from the airline terminal to the nearby Tung Chung MTR station ($3.50, 10-15 minutes), where you can transfer to the MTR Tung Chung Line to Kowloon ($19.5, 27 minutes), Hong Kong ($25.5, 30 minutes), or Tsim Sha Tsui ($19.5, 39 minutes including changing to Tsuen Wan Line at Lai King Station). The Tung Chung line runs the same route as the Airport Express except it terminates at the Tung Chung station and has four additional stops. Note that the MTR system has luggage restrictions and in any case, carrying luggage on the MTR may be cumbersome.

Buses are cheaper ($10.8-$48), more scenic, and have longer operating hours, reaching all majors parts in the territory, yet are more susceptible to the traffic jams in the urban area. Depending on where you are going, they may be more convenient and/or faster than the trains. A complete list of airport buses is available online. There is also an information board at the airport bus terminal. Two companies run buses from the airport: Citybus ('CityFlyer') and Long Win. Buses travel over the scenic Tsing Ma Bridge, the seventh longest suspension bridge in the world. Buses with routes beginning with "A" (Airport bus) (cost: $18.9-48) are more deluxe, have free Wi-Fi internet and take a more direct route than buses with routes beginning with the letter "E" (External) (cost: $10.8-24), which travel via the cargo terminals and Tung Chung town. Buses with routes beginning with "S" (cost: $3-4) are shuttle buses – as noted above, the S1 and S56 buses operates bus service to the closest Tung Chung MTR station. "N" and "NA" routes are overnight routes which serves after the midnight.

Taxis are provided by the airport. The information desk after customs can provide you with an estimate to your hotel and maps to show the driver. A taxi from the airport to Central will cost $250-350, based on meter charge, plus toll fees. Use a red taxi for destinations on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon; Green taxis are restricted to the New Territories and blue taxis only serve the Lantau Island. Airport staff at the taxi stand can offer helpful assistance. If you are going to Hong Kong Island, asking the driver to use the "Western Harbour Crossing" will avoid congestion, but will result in an additional $50 toll charge. Do not take private cars and vans operating as illegal taxis since they are not licensed and in case of accidents, your insurance will not cover you. Generally they are operated by those of sub-continental heritage, and will be white or black vans, rather than the ubiquitous blue and red Toyota Crown Comforts. They will approach you inside the airport.

Tesla Airport Transfer in Model S (HKD $299) For those who need to get to the city and have always wanted to ride in a Tesla. Airport transfers can now be arranged with a Tesla as long as you do not have excessive luggage.

There are no ferry services from the airport to destinations in Hong Kong. However, Turbojet operates service directly to Macau ($254, 50 minutes). You can land in Hong Kong and travel on to Macau without having to pass through Hong Kong immigration.

If you have an Airport Express ticket, you can check-in your luggage and print boarding passes at the in-town check-in desks in the Hong Kong and Kowloon Airport Express stations. Most major airlines and their alliances allow you to drop off your bags up to one day before travel and not have to deal with luggage as you enjoy your final day in Hong Kong (note that you have to travel on Airport Express the same day as you drop off your luggage, otherwise you have to buy another ticket).

To fly between Hong Kong and mainland China, it is often cheaper to fly to/from Shenzhen Airport (IATA: SZX), in the nearby mainland China city of Shenzhen.

To travel between Shenzhen Airport and Hong Kong:

Direct buses operate between the airport and the Elements Shopping Mall, above the Kowloon MTR station. You can check-in and receive your boarding pass (except for China Southern Airlines passengers) at the check-in desk on the 1st floor of the shopping centre, opposite Starbucks. This in-town check-in is completely separate from the in-town check-in provided for Hong Kong International Airport. The cost of the service is $100 and the bus is advertised to take 75 minutes, but it usually takes 100 minutes. Buses run every 30 minutes from 06:30 to 19:00 from Hong Kong and from 10:00 to 21:00 from Shenzhen.

A cheaper way is to take the underground (Shenzhen Metro) line 11 from the airport, and change for line 1 to the Luohu terminus (65 minutes, CNY9 or HKD11.25), then pass through a long corridor and an international border gate (make sure to have your visa ready for this) and once in Hong Kong, hop on the East Rail suburban rail line to Hung Hom (43 minutes, HKD40). Total travel time from Shenzhen airport to Hong Kong is thus under two hours at the price of HKD51.25.

A (possibly cheaper) alternative to Luohu is "Futian Checkpoint" (called Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on the Hong Kong side) which is served by the East Rail Lok Ma Chau Spur Line. The emigration queue at this control point is less crowded than Luohu. It takes about 48min from Lok Ma Chau to Hung Hom ($40), or you can take the B1 bus ($13.2) and change to buses to other districts at YOHO Mall I, Yuen Long (for example the 968 to Central and Causeway Bay ($23.4), the 68X or 268X to Mong Kok ($14.8), the 268B to Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom (operates on peak hours , Sundays and public holidays only, other times you can change to route 269B at Tin Shui Wai or take the 68X/268X, then change to route 281A at Mong Kok for Tsim Sha Tsui)

Another alternative is to take the "Airport Bus No. 9 (机场9路)" to "Huanggang Port", where you can change to various shuttle buses to many locations such as Sheung Wan (Macau Ferry Pier), Wan Chai, Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui. These buses cost $7-50 and are usually faster and more comfortable than the MTR.

With the Express Link service, you can transfer directly from airport to ferry (or vice versa) without going through Macau immigration.

By ferry, the airport is a short distance from the Taipa Ferry Terminal, where you can take ferries to Hong Kong.

By land, from the airport, you can take a taxi, or go to the Taipa Ferry Terminal and take a casino operated shuttle bus to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge Macao Port and take a bus to Hong Kong from there.

Hong Kong is only a one-hour fast ferry ride (by hydrofoil or catamaran) away from Macau and there are also good connections to ports in the Pearl River Delta region of mainland China. The main terminals are:

Star Cruises operates from the Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui. Other major cruise companies also embark at the newly opened Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. Cruise ships travel to Vietnam, mainland China and Taiwan. There are also long haul services all the way to Singapore via ports in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.

Shenzhen is the city in mainland China that borders Hong Kong. See China#Get_in for information on visa requirements.

There are 7 land checkpoints between Hong Kong and mainland China, with 6 of them leading to Shenzhen. Be sure to note the opening hours of the border crossing before starting your journey. If you are driving across the border, you must have a set of plates issued by each of China and Hong Kong. Note that you will have to change sides of the road at the border since people in Hong Kong drive on the left, and people in mainland China drive on the right.

In addition to crossing the border on foot, another way to cross the border is to take a "Cross Boundary Coach". These buses operate between Hong Kong and several cities in mainland China and are usually easier than crossing the border via several transfers and several modes of transportation. For information on these bus services, see the website of each border crossing listed below.

Lo Wu Control Point (train and pedestrian crossing): MTR trains from Hung Hom to run to Lo Wu run every 8-12 minutes. Shenzhen city centre lies just beyond the mainland China immigration checkpoint. This control point can only be accessed by the MTR East Rail Line and crossing the border can only be done on foot, unless you take a through-train from Hung Hom where the train will not stop at all. See "By train" section below. It is often congested with travellers during weekends and holidays, so if you want to avoid for the long queues, use the other control points. Visa-on-arrival can be obtained on the mainland China side for certain nationalities.

Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point (pedestrian crossing): Some northbound East Rail Line trains terminate here. It can also be reached from Yuen Long by KMB bus B1 or by GMB minibus #75. After crossing the double-decked Lok Ma Chau-Futian pedestrian bridge, passengers will find themselves at the Fu Tian immigration checkpoint of the mainland. On the Shenzhen side, Fu Tian Checkpoint metro station and bus terminus is located just after the immigration checkpoint. This control point is not popular and thus less crowded than Lo Wu.

Lok Ma Chau Control Point (road and cross-boundary buscrossing): This crossing consists of separate facilities for pedestrians arriving by bus and for road vehicles and is the only border control point which is open 24-hours per day. The Lok Ma Chau (San Tin) Public Transport Interchange can be reached via KMB buses 76K [Yuen Long (Long Ping Estate)↔Sheung Shui (Ching Ho Estate)], 276B [Tin Shui Wai (Tin Fu Estate)↔Sheung Shui (Choi Yuen Estate)], N73 [Night service to Sha Tin Central via Sheung Shui and Tai Po], and the Long Win Airbus A43P [Hong Kong Airport↔Fanling (Luen Wo Hui) via Sheung Shui]. A shuttle service, known as the "Huang Bus (Yellow Bus)" operates between there and Huanggang Port of the mainland side. Alternatively, you can take express buses from Hong Kong directly to the control point. After passing through Hong Kong Immigration control, you must board the same bus at the other side of the control point, where you will be taken to Huanggang port in Shenzhen to pass through mainland China immigration control. There is no need to carry your luggage acorss the border by foot.

Man Kam To Control Point (road and cross-boundary bus crossing): This crossing is mostly used by private vehicles and cross-boundary buses. See "By bus" section below.

Sha Tau Kok Control Point (road, cross-boundary bus, and pedestrian crossing): Located furthest east, this control point can be accessed by taking a cross-boundary coach. It is far from the centre of Shenzhen and is relatively quiet. There are no mainland visa-on-arrival facilities. See "By bus" section below.

Shenzhen Bay Port (road and cross-boundary bus crossing): This control point links Hong Kong directly with Shekou, Shenzhen. It can be used by private vehicles and cross-boundary buses. See "By bus" section below.

Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Hong Kong Port (road, cross-boundary bus and pedestrian crossing): This crossing goes to both Zhuhai in mainland China, and Macau. Buses exist that connect directly from the city region to both Zhuhai and Macau. Access by public transport is avaliable by some buses that also go to the airport (Most "A" buses and all overnight "NA" buses), or via the B5 Bus from Sunny Bay MTR Station. A shuttle bus service plies between the Hong Kong Port and the Zhuhai and Macau Ports, served by seperate buses, with the ride being 65HKD in daytime and 70HKD at night(midnight to 6am). You are not allowed to walk on the bridge by yourself.

Note that in Hong Kong, bicycles are not permitted in all tunnels and on most highways. Therefore, Very few Hongkongers manage to use a bike as a substitute for public transport. However, roads in the country parks, because of the hilly landscape, are ideal for adventure biking. See Cycling in Hong Kong

Crossing the land border between Shenzhen and Hong Kong with a bicycle is possible as follows:

Take the MTR train to the Lo Wu Control Point. Cycles are allowed on the train with a payment of between $20 and $40, depending upon the time of day, and provided that the front wheel is removed.

KMB route B1 and Green minibus #75 operates between the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point and Yuen Long for $12/$7 and allows a folded bike with 50 cm wheels. While most passengers take a bus connecting to urban areas, it's possible for bikers to take the "yellow bus" ($7) at the Lok Ma Chau (San Tin) Public Transport Interchange just to the other side of the border. Note that there is not much luggage space on the #75 minibus and you may be required to disassemble your bike.

MTR Corporation runs regular Intercity Passenger Train services from Hung Hom station on the Kowloon side. The destinations are Guangzhou (East), Dongguan, Foshan and Zhaoqing in Guangdong Province, as well as twice a days trains to/from Beijing and Shanghai which take around 20 hours. The Guangzhou-Hung Hom (via Dongguan) train is operated by both MTR of Hong Kong and the China Railway. MTR operates the 'ktt' trains which are twin-level comfortable trains.

Note: Tickets purchased on it3.mtr.com.hk must be paid for by credit card and collected in Hong Kong by the card holder. If you intend to begin your journey from the Guangzhou side, most times of the year you can easily obtain tickets on the spot at Guangzhou East station. However, at peak times, such as Canton Fair and New Year, it may be necessary to book ahead to be guaranteed a seat. Booking (and paying for) tickets through the MTR website will only RESERVE your seats if you are outside Hong Kong and intend to begin your journey in Guangzhou. You will need to pay again at Guangzhou East station and then seek a refund from MTR once you arrive in Hung Hom. To avoid this, MTR has an officially appointed ticketing agency on the China side for multilingual enquiry and booking. This company has been confirmed via email by MTR customer service and is: Norrway Trading Co. Ltd. (+86) 20 8765 9328, from within China 020 8765 9328 (no known website). China Travel Service (CTSHK) and China International Travel Services (CITS) are other major agents who deal in English and can provide tickets. Also, quite a few of the higher-level hotels in Guangzhou also have an affiliated travel agent where you can book and pay for train tickets, so contact them as well, even if you're not staying at the hotel. As of July 2017, you can also book train tickets (departing from Hung Hom or Guangzhou East) on ctrip.com (Mainland China web version).

Direct High-speed rail
The new Hong Kong West Kowloon station has opened in the city centre of Hong Kong, accessible by buses and via the MTR at Kowloon and Austin stations. The High Speed Rail division of the MTR Corporation and the Chinese rail company jointly run trains from the station to Guangzhou, with trains stopping in Shenzhen and other stops along the way. There are also direct trains as far as Kunming (South), Guilin (West), Beijing (West) and Shanghai (Hongqiao). But be noted that for most destinations, splitting your ticket by getting off at Shenzhen and getting on another high-speed train provides more options, is cheaper (By around 50-100HKD), and may be required to some destinations. The only convinience is if you can time yourself to the direct train services, which may be once a day for further destinations, and for the ease of booking, as cross-boundary services can be bought using the MTR website, which (likely) accepts overseas credit cards and Paypal as well as the Chinese rail website, which requires payment by Chinese credit card.

The Octopus Card (八達通, Bat Dat Toong in Cantonese,) is a prepaid contactless debit card that can be used to pay for almost all kinds of public transport (except taxis and some red minibuses), as well as for paying in convenience stores, supermarkets, many restaurant especially chains such as McDonald's and Cafe de Coral, vending machines, museums, all roadside parking and some car parks, any many more. The Octopus Card functionality can also come in the form of personalised cards, ornaments, key-chains, and watches, which can be bought online. Some housing estates and schools use the card for identification at entry.

Getting an Octopus Card is highly recommended unless you choose to travel the city only by taxi. As one of the successful pioneers of contactless smart card in the world, the card brings much conveniences as the alternative to cash in Hong Kong and reduce the hassles on coins. Slightly discounted fare is offered for MTR rides, and you can enjoy specified discounts on various transport (mostly discounts on interchange trips or sectional fares). The card is particularly useful when taking buses as you need to pay for exact fare and no change will be given.

Octopus cards can be purchased and refunded at the Customer Service Centres at all MTR stations (including the Airport station at the customer service counter) and the New World First Bus customer service centre at Admiralty East bus terminus. Basic Octopus cards for adult cost $150 for $100 in credit plus a $50 refundable deposit, while a card for children/elders costs $70 with $20 credit. Upon refunding the card, a $9 service charge applies if the card is returned for a refund within 90 days (free of charge afterwards) and all the remaining credit and deposit will be refunded. The maximum value an Octopus card can carry is $1,000, but you can only refund the card if the remaining credit is less than $500. The validity of the card is 1000 days after the last top-up, and can be re-activated at MTR stations.

The credit on the card can go negative. For example, you may pay for a ride costing $5 with only $2 of remaining value on the card (bringing the stored value to -$3) but you cannot use the card again until the value is topped up. The value of an Octopus card can go as low as -$35. Note that it isn't really "negative", since your $50 deposit secures it.

Octopus card cannot be shared among a group (e.g. if you are a family of 4 travelling together, each member must have their own Octopus Card).

Your Octopus cards' balance is displayed on the reader after each use. The balance can also be checked, along with the last 9 transactions, using a small machine near regular ticket machines at MTR stations. It can also be checked with the Octopus smartphone app.

For travellers, there are three convenient ways to top-up a card (in $50 increments). Payments must be made only by cash, not by credit card:

"Add Value" machines, usually located next to regular ticket machines in MTR stations.

Customer service centres at any MTR station.

Customer service centres of Citybus (located at the airport bus terminus), New World First Bus (located at Admiralty East bus terminus), and Kowloon Motor Bus customer service centres (various locations, check here)

Most of the merchants that accept Octopus (e.g. 7-Eleven, McDonald's, Wellcome, etc.)

Automatic add-value service is only available for locally-issued credit cards.

There are several MTR fare saver machines located at locations which are not near the MTR stations (usually 15 mins walking distance away from the station). By tapping your Octopus Card at these machines, you will receive a $2 discount on your next MTR journey which originates from the specified station, so as to encourage you to take MTR from these locations instead of other transport.

Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is the fastest way to get around, but it only offers city views for half the sections and is more expensive. There are 5 underground lines (Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Island, Tung Chung, and Tseung Kwan O lines), three suburban rail lines (West, East, and Ma On Shan lines), the Airport Express, and a network of modern tram lines in the North West New Territories.

The most important lines for many visitors are the busy Tsuen Wan Line (red), which runs from Central to Kowloon via tunnel and then down Nathan Road towards Tsuen Wan in the New Territories, and the Island Line (blue) which runs along the north coast of Hong Kong Island. The Tung Chung Line (orange) is the fastest route to Lantau and one of the cheapest ways to the airport via the S1 shuttle bus from Tung Chung MTR station. This line can also be used to change to the Disneyland Resort Line (pink) at Sunny Bay. All signs are in both Chinese and English and all announcements are made in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. Staff in the station control room usually speak enough English to be able to help lost tourists.

Considerations when using the MTR:

Hong Kong's suburban rail system is linked to two international borders with mainland China, at Lo Wu Control Point and Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point, both on the East Rail Line. You pass through a short corridor and then through a large border gate before entering a long one-way corridor and emerging in mainland China, at a station for the Shenzhen Metro.

The East Rail Line offers a first class car where the seats are wider and more comfortable. The fare is twice that of the regular cars on the same route, and you need to buy a separate ticket for this at a station's ticketing office or tap your octopus card at the designated reader before entering. Ticket inspectors conduct regular patrol in the carriage and passengers without a valid first class ticket will be fined $500.

Most underground MTR stations have at least one Hang Seng Bank branch, which can serve as a meeting point.

Note that in Hong Kong, the English name for the underground metro system is the 'MTR'. While 'Subway' is understood as well, in Hong Kong, it actually refers to underground walkways, as opposed to the metro system.

Fares depend on distance. Credit cards are not accepted to pay for tickets or passes, except for rides on the Airport Express.

Most ticket machines will not accept bills larger than $10. Customer service centres will provide change.

Consumption of food and drinks and smoking are strictly forbidden in stations and in trains. Offenders are liable to a fine of $2,000.

Disabled Access and Stroller Access is provided at the MTR stations, but it will likely require considerable extra walking, often from one end of an MTR station to another. For instance, the lift may be at one end of a platform at train level, whilst the lift to street level will be at the other end. Therefore, be aware that using lifts and wheelchair access will often require you to walk the length of the station 2 or 3 times, just to get from street level to your chosen train. There is usually one designated reader for wider (wheelchair/stroller) access, but often it is a long walk around the station or platform. Occasionally, there will be an MTR staff booth at a set of gates, but it depends on the individual staff member as to whether they will just tap your card on their terminal and let you through the goods entrance to the platform. If you need a stroller for getting around, it may be better to collapse your stroller, pick up your child and use the escalators and "regular" designated readers. Most Hong Kongers will use a small, lightweight, upright folding stroller (some as the Combi range, which appears to be most popular), than can be easily folded, carried and taken through the gates and escalators. You will also ensure that you aren't fighting for lift space with others who need it, such as wheelchair-bound persons and goods trolleys.

Operated by Hong Kong Tramways, the narrow double-decker city trams (sometimes known in Cantonese as "ding ding") trundling along the northern coast of Hong Kong Island have provided cheap transport for over a century.

Considerations when riding the trams:

Trams are slower and bumpier than other modes of transport, and they are not air conditioned.

The fare is a flat $2.3.

Riding the tram is a great and cheap way to sightsee. For an excursion lasting 1 hour, board at the Kennedy Town Terminus and get a good seat on the upper deck. As the tram travels eastward, you will have an elevated view of Hong Kong Island and its different flavours, from bustling Hong Kong street life to its glitzy financial and shopping districts and, finally, a taste of suburban tranquility.

Passengers board at the rear and the fare is paid upon getting off at the front of the tram. Passing through a crowded tram can be very difficult during peak times.

The Peak Tram, Hong Kong's first mechanised mode of transport, opened in 1888. The remarkably steep 1.7km track from Central up to Victoria Peak is worth at least one trip despite the appropriately steep price ($32 one-way, $45 return; return tickets must be purchased in advance). The tram turnstyles do take Octopus cards, which will allow you to avoid the ticketing line at the station.
Also, there are a number of options, some including access to the observation deck, some don't.

The Peak Tram is likely to be crowded at night when the view of the city's skyline is magic, as well as on public holidays. If large numbers of Mainland Chinese are in a tour group, then it will slow proceedings down considerably and they will likely try to push in front of you or knock your children over – it may be worth trying another time if that's the case. Waiting times can be 60-90 minutes. When going up, better take right-hand side seat and you will enjoy better view.

Note: Around HK there are numerous booths, travel agents and information kiosks where you can purchase peak tram tickets in advance for a discounted price. Something to consider is this: If the weather turns bad during your stay, visibility at the top (Sky Terrace) could very likely be zero. It is advisable to check out the weather and purchase full-price tickets on the day, at the peak train station etc., rather than run the risk of buying tickets in advance and wasting your money due to bad weather. You can also book instant e-tickets now on travel apps that will allow you to skip the queue. The peak tram ride itself is relatively short and provides no view. You will also likely have to line up for an hour at the top in order to get back down again.

The tram is not the only way to get to the Peak, and there are cheaper (but slower and still quite scenic) alternatives such as the #1 green minibus costing $10.2 & #15 double-decker bus costing $9.8 from Central (Exchange Square) Bus Terminus. These buses, especially the double-deck #15, will often give you a view of both sides of Hong Kong Island.

MTR operates a tram system located at the Western side of the territory called Light Rail. It is a modern and fast tram system connecting Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, and Tin Shui Wai. It has an open fare system, in which passengers are required to buy a ticket or tap an Octopus card at the station entrance before boarding, and ticket inspection is random.

There are three types of bus available in Hong Kong, operated by a multitude of companies. Generally easy to use (especially with Octopus), buses are pretty much your only option for travelling around the south side of the island and Lantau.

The large double-decker buses cover practically all of the territory, stop frequently and charge varying fares depending on the distance. The first seats of the upper deck offer great views. The franchised bus operators in Hong Kong include Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) (and its subsidiary Long Win Bus), Citybus, New World First Bus and New Lantao Bus. Route and fare information can be found on the companies web sites. Mobile apps are also available. Estimated arrival time can also be founded in the respective company websites and/or apps. Fares will depend more on where you board rather than where you get-off which means it is more expensive to board at the earlier stops rather than the later stops. Hence, most bus rides which cross the harbour between Kowloon and the Island exceed $9 prior to the crossing. The fare is displayed on a digital display next to the farebox – exact change, Octopus Card or a ticket purchased from a bus travel centre (for "A"-prefixed airport routes only) found at major transit hubs such as Star Ferry or Central Bus Terminus) must be used. Unlike mainland China, there are announcements in Cantonese, Mandarin and English except for most buses on New Lantao Bus (but there is a display showing the name of the the next stop in English and Chinese). Buses will only stop when requested(except when you are at the terminus) – when your bus approaches, raise your arm to hail the bus (like you would hail a taxi), and when alighting, press the buzzer (located by the exit doors and on the grab-rails, some older buses have them on the roof) to signal to the driver that you want to alight. Always board at the front and alight from the centre door – unless the bus only has one door, in which case keep to the left.

Van-sized public light buses carry a maximum of 16 passengers (seats only) and come in two varieties, red minibuses and green minibuses (the red buses are also called maxicabs); the colour refers to a wide stripe painted on top of the vehicle. Riding a minibus may not be easy for travellers, as it is customary to call out the name of the stop or ask the driver to stop in Cantonese. More and more red minibuses accept Octopus card, but still many do not accept Octopus but will give you change, while green minibuses do accept Octopus payment but can not give you change if you pay in cash. The Hong Kong Island green minibus #1 down from the Peak to Central is particularly exhilarating. Red minibuses tend to have a more Chinese feel than green buses. Prices on red minibuses are often displayed only in Chinese numbers. The price displayed on a red minibus can legally vary according to the market price, so expect to pay more at busy times. Some people argue that the driving standards of red minibuses is lower than green minibuses; Minibus drivers generally drive fast, especially at night. Always use minibus seatbelts where available. You will notice that they all have an extra, large, digital speedometer in the cabin for the passengers to view, this is required by the government after a few fatal accidents due to speeding. Since the introduction of these passenger speedometers mini-bus accident rates have dropped.

The MTR also maintains a fleet of feeder buses. MTR passengers can enjoy a free feeder service if the payment is made by Octopus.

Note that if paying in cash, the exact fare is required and no change can be given. Paying by Octopus is much more convenient. The exception to this rule is if you use a red minibus, Octopus cards are not accepted on red minibus services, but they do give you change.

There are six independent route numbering systems:
(i)buses on Hong Kong Island(ii)buses in Kowloon and the New Territories(iii)buses on Lantau Island(iv)green minibuses on Hong Kong Island(v)green minibuses in Kowloon, and(vi)green minibuses in the New Territories and several exceptional auxiliary buses routes.

Red minibuses usually don't have a route number. This leads to duplication of routes in different regions. Although the Transport Department has been working on the unifying of the route numbers, it is still a little bit messy at the moment. If you are confused a bit by the numbering of routes, here is a suggestion: just remember the route number of buses in Hong Kong Island/Kowloon/New Territories only whenever it is necessary. In other special circumstances, ask the driver or the station staff for the Lantau buses or green minibuses and they can answer you.

Generally you need not to mention which district the route belongs to when you are asking for directions (almost all people will assume you will asking for the route which runs in the district you are in, e.g. if you ask for bus route #2, locals will assume you will asking for bus route #2 running in Kowloon if you are in Kowloon), but you really need to mention whether the route is bus or minibus when you ask, since in some cases both bus and minibus can have same route number in the same area which are actually different routes. (e.g. there are both bus route #6 and minibus route #6 in Tsim Sha Tsui, one goes north and one goes east).

Bus services vary between areas: in the busy city centre, you can expect frequencies of 10 minutes or under; in less developed areas 15-30. Do note that some routes only offer services on peak hours and/or specific days, so be sure to check the timetable. A better solution is to download mobile apps (for instance "APP 1933" for Kowloon Motor Bus routes) and plan the journeys beforehand.

Unlike the rest of the world, Saturday is an usual working day in Hong Kong, especially for logistic industries and local factories. Whereas some citizens in Hong Kong do rest on Saturdays, some citizens will make use of their rest days to drive around the city.

A vast fleet of ferries plies between the many islands of Hong Kong. The granddaddy of them all and an attraction in itself is the Star Ferry, whose most popular line travels from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central and Wanchai from 7:00 a.m. to 23:00 p.m., and offers amazing views (especially when coming from Tsim Sha Tsui). The Star Ferry is an icon of Hong Kong heritage and has carried passengers for over 120 years. Taking its eleven minute ride across the harbour and catching some misty breeze is considered a "must do" when visiting Hong Kong.

Upper deck seats cost $2.50 on weekdays and $3.40 on weekends while the lower deck cost $2.80 on weekdays and $2 on weekends, both payable with Octopus, cash (change given) or by onsite vending machine. Ferries to Wanchai have only upper-deck seating.

Blake Pier at Stanley

Ferries to Lamma, Lantau and other islands depart from a variety of ports, but the largest and most important terminal is at Central adjacent to the Star Ferry. Ferries are usually divided into fast ferries and slow ferries, with fast ferries charging around twice the price for half the journey time, although not all destinations offer both kinds of service. Example fares for trips from Central to Mui Wo (Lantau)are $14.50/$28.4 (slow/fast). Note that all fares increase by around 50% on Sundays and public holidays.

Be aware that some (cheaper) ferries may not have air-conditioning. This means that in hotter weather you are going to broil in your own sweat inside the ferry. An example is the ferries to Cheung Chau – some have air-con for a pleasant trip, but the trip without air-con is not at all pleasant.

Be aware of whether typhoons and other inclement weather is around. Increased swell can make the ferry a little less comfortable, even in the harbour.

Taxis are plentiful, clean, and efficient. They are extremely cheap compared to many other large cities.

There are three types of taxi in Hong Kong, easily identified by their colours: red, green and blue, all of which serve the airport and Hong Kong Disneyland. Be aware if you are choosing from one of the three kinds of taxis when you are finding your way out of the airport. When in doubt, just take a red taxi. Rates for each type of taxi are published online

The Urban (red) taxis can travel anywhere within Hong Kong (except southern Lantau) and are the most expensive. The meter starts at $24.00 for the first 2 kilometres, plus $1.70 ($1.2 after the fare reaches $83.5) for every 200m or minute of wait time thereafter.

New Territories (green) taxis are slightly cheaper than the red ones but are confined to rural areas in the New Territories, the airport, and Hong Kong Disneyland.

Lantau (blue) taxis are the cheapest of the three but operate only on Lantau Island, including the airport and Hong Kong Disneyland.

Considerations when riding taxis:

Wearing of seat belts at all seats is required by law, the driver has the right to refuse to carry the passenger if they fail to comply.

Tipping is usually not required or expected, however, the driver will usually round the fare up to the nearest dollar.

Drivers are required to provide change for HK$100 notes, but not for higher denominations. If you only have a $500 or $1000 note, ask the driver before boarding, or if you are going through a tolled tunnel, let the driver know beforehand and he will change it when paying at the toll booth. Very few taxis accept credit cards, so always prepare to pay by cash.

There are no extra late-night charges nor peak-hour surcharges. However, baggage carried in the boot ("trunk" if coming from North America) will cost you $5 per piece, except for wheelchairs. No charges are levied for travel to/from the airport or within downtown but all toll charges for tunnels are added to the bill. The driver will normally pay on your behalf at the toll booth and you just need to reimburse him before alighting.

Harbour crossing passengers (Hong Kong Island to Kowloon or vice versa) are required to pay HK$10-15 as the return toll. But there are some cross-harbour taxi ranks in designated places like the Central Piers, Macau Ferry Terminal, Times Square or Hung Hom station, where no return toll charge will be applied. Be careful of the toll of tunnels as there is a large difference: Cross Harbour Tunnel: $10, Eastern Harbour Crossing: $25, Western Harbour Crossing: $60. Often, there will be congestions before the entrance of Cross Harbour Tunnel but smooth traffic in Western Harbour Crossing.

Unless a taxi has an out of service sign displayed, they are legally required to take you to your destination. Fare negotiation by the driver is prohibited. All taxi drivers are required to display inside the vehicle an official name card that includes the driver's photograph and the registration number. They are also required to provide you with a receipt upon request. At some taxi stands near tourist spots, there is a list of estimated taxi fares for popular destinations. If you think you have been "toured" around the city or over-charged, you may call the police at 999 immediately. If they refuse to either carry you to your destination or provide for a receipt, you may also file a complaint to the Transport Complaints Unit Complaint Hotline (Voice mail service after office hours) at 2889-9999.

Beware of the taxi scams. If you look Western and do not speak Chinese, it is practically impossible to hire a taxi to take you down to the city from Victoria Peak for a reasonable price. While the meter price is around HKD$56, the drivers will quote several folds of that in the range of HKD$300. This is illegal and is punishable, but it's been taking place for years and the police do not seem to do anything about it. The taxi drivers may also overcharge you on the toll fees.

Many taxis are radio equipped and can be reserved and requested via an operator for a token fee of HK$5, payable to the driver. You may also use the "Easy Taxi" mobile app which costs no charge. But you are unlikely to need to call a taxi, though, as they are plentiful; and when the demand is high, it would be difficult to call for a taxi too.

It is good practice to get a local person to write the name or address of your destination in Chinese for you to hand to the taxi driver, as many drivers speak limited English and Mandarin. For example, if you wish to take a journey back to your hotel, ask a receptionist for the hotel's business card.

Learning some Cantonese pronunciation for your location will help (especially as some names such as Hung Hom, don't sound in Cantonese like they are written in English). "Do" (said like "Doe" – a deer, a female deer, with a middle tone) and "Gai" (said more like "Kai" with a rising tone) are the Cantonese words for Road and Street respectively. If you can pronounce your suburb and local road correctly, this will help considerably. Nevertheless, even if you don't, most taxi drivers know enough English to communicate the basics.

Renting a car is unpopular in the densely populated Hong Kong. With heavy traffic, a complex road network, rare and expensive parking spaces, high rental fees, and well-connected public transportation, renting a car is very unappealing. However, renting a car should not be ruled out if you intend to spend a significant amount of time hiking and camping in the countryside. Expect to pay over $900/day even for a small car.

The legal age for driving passenger cars in Hong Kong is 18.

Hong Kong allows most foreigners to drive with an International Driving Permit (IDP). In fact, if one possesses a driving licence which is written in English, he/she can drive in Hong Kong for a temporary period of time. Anyone who drives for more than 12 months is required to get a Hong Kong licence issued by the Transport Department.

Hong Kong uses traffic rules and signs similar to the United Kingdom.

The majority of Hongkongers will exceed the speed limit by around 10km/h which is the tolerated threshold. There are many speeding cameras on most major highways.

Traffic lights are always observed. No left turning unless there is a green light.

Wearing a seatbelt is mandatory for every passenger who has a seatbelt provided.

Rush hour traffic can be severe around the Cross Harbour Tunnel, which is generally congested from 08:00 to 22:00 and even sometimes up till midnight.

Many drivers will not signal before changing lanes.

Traffic rules are enforced seriously and the penalty for breaking rules can be severe.

Signs are written in both Chinese and English.

Traffic in Hong Kong moves on the left (cars have their steering wheel on the right hand side), the same as in the British Isles, Japan, Australia, Thailand or Singapore, but OPPOSITE to Mainland China.

No parking on street is allowed except designated street parking lots with a "P" sign, which is difficult to find in urban areas and many of them are metered marking. Free parking is basically unavailable in urban areas.

Public parking spaces are available in many shopping malls but they are often expensive ($30-40 per hour in tourist areas) and the spaces are limited. You may need to queue for more than half hour during peak hours.

Ferrari Maserati Hong Kong Showroom

It is basically impossible for a tourist to drive directly to mainland China from Hong Kong, due to the following reasons:

The vehicle must have a second set of number plates issued by the Guangdong authorities. These are issued in limited numbers to people investing in the mainland, and the price for a second hand plate can be as high as HK$1,000,000. A special log book is required in Mainland China for cars with 2 licence plates, and the driver must be registered with the Chinese government, where their name and photo must be printed on that log book. So there is no such vehicles for self driving rentals.

The driver also needs to acquire a mainland Chinese driving licence. Hong Kong, Macau or foreign licences or International Driver Permits will not be accepted in Mainland China.

In general, although cycling is possible, Hong Kong is not a bicycle-friendly place because of its hilly landscapes, government policies, air pollution and a general lack of consideration by many motorists. Locals sometimes cycle on the pavements if they are not crowded, although most of time, pavements are too crowded even for pushing your bike. If you plan to use busy urban roads you should be fit enough to keep up with the traffic, which moves surprisingly quickly.

A network of tarmac cycle tracks sprawl across the New Territories making it relatively easy to bike for longer distances. There are also several mountain-bike trails in the country parks. Visitors should comply with the Road User's Guide which is based on the United Kingdom Highway Code.

Bike rental is available in several locations across the territory. Popular rental spots include Cheung Chau, Mui Wo (Lantau), Sha Tin, Tai Po Market, Tuen Mun and Ma On Shan. Rental fees are typically $40-60 a day for a standard entry-level mountain bike, or around $150 per day for a higher-spec mountain or road bike.

Basic rules to follow:

Cyclists are not allowed by law to ride on highways and tunnels, which are well patrolled.

It is an offence to be drunk in charge of a bicycle.

By law, you're required to have a front and rear light.

Electronic bike conversion systems are not allowed. The police have a strict enforcement policy on this offence.

The maximum penalty for riding on pedestrian roads is $500 or a three month jail sentence. Usually offenders get a warning, but the Hong Kong Police do occasionally have an annual, or bi-annual crackdown.

For folding bike users, sometimes a bus driver will tell you that it's not allowed, but if you talk to them nicely they will usually let you board. A bicycle bag that makes your bike look like ordinary luggage can make your life a lot easier.

The world's longest outdoor escalator travels from Central through Soho to the residential developments of the Mid-levels. The escalator moves down in the morning rush hour but up the rest of the time, and using it is free — in fact, you can even get Octopus credits from machines along the way for being willing to use your feet!

The escalator cuts through some of the oldest streets found anywhere in Hong Kong, so if you are happy to take a chance and just wander and explore the back streets you are likely to find something of interest that dates back to colonial times. The immediate area to the east of the escalator was once reserved for the exclusive use of Chinese people.

Hong Kong downtown is very small so that you can try walking around the city, a walk from Tsim Sha Tsui ferry pier to Mong Kok takes you around 50 minutes and you can visit Temple Street and Kowloon Park at the same time.

But given the crowded roads filling with cars and smoking pedestrians, the air condition in Hong Kong is relatively bad, if you have asthma or other breathing problems, avoid walking in Hong Kong streets if possible.

Also, if you plan to go in and out of buildings like shopping malls or even restaurants, bring a light pullover, jacket or shawl since the inside temperature will be much lower. Indeed, it is acceptable to carry a towel to remove sweat.

Hong Kong's written official languages are Chinese and English, and the spoken official languages are Cantonese and English.

The local language is Cantonese. The Hong Kong variant is basically the same as in Guangzhou on the mainland but tends to incorporate some English words and slang, which frequently sounds strange to other Cantonese speakers. (Like "我唔sure得唔得", means "I am not sure if it's okay") Cantonese is the lingua franca in many overseas Chinese communities and Guangdong and Guangxi province. Like all Chinese languages, Cantonese is a tonal language and definitely not easy for foreigners to master, but locals always really appreciate any effort by visitors to speak it, so learning a few simple greetings will get you acquainted with locals much more easily and will ensure friendly encounters and lots of additional help in shops, convenience stores and supermarkets. Whilst the Cantonese are somewhat reserved toward Westerners, they do become considerably warmer, when they realise you're making the effort to speak to them in their language.

Unlike Hanyu Pinyin – standard romanization system for phoneticizing Mandarin, Cantonese so far hasn't developed a well recognised romanization system and local people seldom bother to learn them. However, some accurate phonetics system do exist for learners, such as the Yale system or Jyutping.

唔該; M̀h'gōi
Just one Cantonese word that will go a very long way in Hong Kong. Learn this word and you can use it to say please, thank you and excuse me. M̀h'gōi rhymes with boy and should be said with a cheery high tone rising at the end. Give it a go.

As a former British colony, English is the most common second language, and while it is far from ubiquitous, your chances of encountering an English speaker in Hong Kong are still much better than in other East Asian cities. Education in English begins in kindergarten, and fluency in English is often a prerequisite for securing a good job. As a result, English is spoken fluently by most professionals and business people. In contrast, English proficiency tends to be more limited among the average working class person, particularly outside the main tourist areas. In addition, while many people are able to understand written English pretty well, they may not necessarily be comfortable speaking it. Nevertheless, most locals under the age of 40 (and many over that as well) know enough English for basic communication. To improve your chances of being understood, speak slowly, stick to basic words and sentences, and avoid using slang.

As English is an official language of Hong Kong, government offices are required by law to have English-speaking staff on duty. There are three terrestrial English language TV channels named TVB Pearl, ViuTVsix and RTHK TV 33. English-language films in cinemas are almost always shown with the original soundtrack and Chinese subtitles, though children's films, especially animations, are often dubbed into Cantonese (although English dubbing is still choosable). British English is still widely used in Hong Kong, especially in government and legal documents. In the media, the South China Morning Post and terrestrial TV channels use British English. Place names, such as Victoria Harbour (not Harbor) serve as a record of Hong Kong's colonial heritage. Also, modern buildings, such as the International Finance Centre (not Center) maintain British spellings. Most secondary and tertiary institutions adopt English for instruction while some lectures are conducted in Cantonese. Lectures are conducted in English at the universities.

It is also important to note that many English street names are seldom used among local people including those who can speak fluent English. Before you go to anywhere, ask hotel staff to write down the street names using Chinese characters, and try to learn how to pronounce where you are going in Cantonese, if possible. Another method is using google maps (or equivalent) on your smart phone and pointing (politely) to where you are going.

Most locals are not fluent in Mandarin, but can comprehend it to some degree. However, due to the large number of tourists from the mainland, as well as the fact that Mandarin has been compulsory in all government schools since the handover, people in the tourist industry will often speak Mandarin, and most shops in the main tourist areas, as well as all government offices will have Mandarin-speaking staff on duty.

All official signs are bilingual in Chinese and English. Under the "one country, two systems" policy, Hong Kong continues to use traditional Chinese characters, and not the simplified Chinese characters used in the mainland.

Hong Kong doesn't have street benches to sit down. Whilst "sitting down areas" are around, these are generally hard to find. A notable exception is the recent Central and Western District Promenade on Hong Kong between the Central Star ferry terminal and the convention centre. It is therefore recommended to bring a foldable camping chair to travel around Hong Kong.

Additionally, restaurants (especially cheap and quick ones) will prefer quick table turnover. All this adds up to spending a considerable amount of time on your feet. Make sure you have a pair of very comfortable shoes, as even a good pair of shoes will still leave your feet sore after a full day on your feet.

Your best -if not very authentic- chance for some relaxation will be the various coffee franchises. They also offer WiFi, so you can use the time to review your itinerary.

Get a stunning view of Hong Kong Island on Victoria Peak atop the giant, wok-shaped Peak Tower! Ever since the dawn of British colonisation, the Peak hosted the most exclusive neighbourhood for the territory's richest residents. Local Chinese weren't permitted to live here until after World War II. The Peak Tower has an observation platform and a shopping mall with shops, fine dining, and museums. There is a fee to go to the top. If you don't have a ticket yet, you might try the booth at the foot of the final escalator instead of the one immediately downstairs, as it is often less crowded. For more information on The Peak, see Hong Kong/Central#See

As the only one Korean 3D Museum in Hong Kong, Trick Eye Museum Hong Kong presents a magnificent collection of 3D art pieces. It features paintings on plain surfaces that magically appear to be three dimensional through the use of optical illusion. You are most welcome to touch, climb and interact with the amazing exhibits. After capturing the hearts of millions of visitors around the globe, it has now descended upon Hong Kong at The Peak Galleria Mall. You can also enjoy the free observation deck view of the beautiful Harbour View. For more information, please visit website of Trick Eye Museum Hong Kong.

The horse racing season runs from September to July, during which time racings take place twice weekly, with the location alternating between Shatin in the New Territories and Happy Valley ($10, Wednesday nights), a 10 to 15 minute walk from Causeway Bay MTR station on Eastern Hong Kong Island. Both racing locations are easily accessible by MTR but Happy Valley is the more convenient, historic, and impressive location. Get a local to explain the betting system to you and then drink the cheap draft beer. Be sure to read Racing Post by the South China Morning Post on race days to guide you. A beer garden with racing commentary in English is available at Happy Valley near the finish line where many expatriates congregate during the races. One good tip: bring your passport and get in at the tourist rate of just $1.

Betting can also be placed at any of 100+ branches of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Expect long lines and big crowds. The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a nonprofit charitable organization and the only institution permitted to conduct legal horse-racing in the territory.

St John’s Cathedral is the oldest surviving Western ecclesiastical building in the city.
St Andrew's Church is Victorian-gothic and it is cruciform in shape.
Kowloon Union Church was founded in 1927, is an English missionary in Hong Kong interdenominational Christian church, was listed as a Grade I historical building in Hong Kong.

There are a variety of museums in Hong Kong with different themes, arguably the best museum is the Hong Kong Museum of History in Kowloon, which gives an excellent overview of Hong Kong's fascinating past. Not the typical pots-behind-glass format of museums you find elsewhere in China. Innovative galleries such as a mock-up of a colonial era street make history come to life. Allow about two to four hours to view everything in detail. Admission is free. There is an audio tour available for HKD$10.

Kowloon also includes a number of other interesting museums including Dialogue in the Dark, which is an exhibition in complete darkness where you should use your non-visual senses with the help of a visually impaired guide, the International Hobby and Toy Museum, which exhibits models, toys, science fiction collectibles, movie memorabilia and pop-culture artifacts from around the world, Hong Kong Museum of Art, which is a fascinating, strange and elusive place exhibiting Chinese ceramics, terracotta, rhinoceros horn and Chinese paintings as well as contemporary art produced by Hong Kong artists, Hong Kong Science Museum, primarily aimed at children, and Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre.

Central also has its share of museums including Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum, Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences, which shows how the healthcare system evolved from traditional Chinese medicine to modern Western medicine, and Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre.

New Territories has the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, which will appeal to those who have a serious interest in Chinese culture, and the Hong Kong Railway Museum.

Wong Tai Sin Temple, known to Thai people as “Temple of Wong-Tar-Shian”. Originally, this temple was only a small court District in Wan-Chai. Afterwards, with collected donations, the temple moved to the present location. Because the Wong-Tai-Sin is god of health, those who pray at this temple mostly pray about health. The ritual and architecture styles come from Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.
Open: 07:00 AM – 17:30 PM Location: 2 Chuk Yuen Village, Wong Tai Sin MTR (green line) @Wong Tai sin station Exit B3

Contrary to popular belief, Hong Kong is not all skyscrapers and it is worthwhile to go to the countryside (over 70% of Hong Kong), including the country parks and marine parks. Many are surprised to find that Hong Kong is actually home to some stunning landscapes and breathtaking scenery.

Lantau Island is twice as big as Hong Kong island and is well worth checking out if you want to get away from the bright lights and pollution of the city for a spell. Here you will find open countryside, traditional fishing villages, secluded beaches, monasteries and more. You can hike, camp, fish and mountain bike, amongst other activities.

In the waters just off Tung Chung on Lantau Island, live the Chinese White Dolphins. These dolphins are naturally pink and live in the wild, but their status is currently threatened, with its current population estimated to be between 100-200.

The Sai Kung Peninsula in New Territories is also a worthwhile place to visit. Its mountainous terrain and spectacular coastal scenery make this a special place. There are both challenging and more relaxed routes.

North East New Territories is also famous for its natural environment. Yan Chau Tong Marine Park is in the North East New Territories. A few traditional abandoned villages are connected with hiking trails in the territory. North East New Territories is one of the famous hiking hot spots for the locals.

Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark covers an area of 50 km2 across parts of the Eastern and Northeastern New Territories. The Geopark is made up of eight Geo-Areas distributed across the Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region and Northeast New Territories Sedimentary Rock Region. Most areas are accessible by ferries, buses, taxis and local tours[26].

Short hiking trails (2 hours) can be found on Hong Kong Island and the New Territories. You can even hike up to the Victoria Peak.

An easy hike with some nice views and welcome shade starts at the Peak and goes west along Lugard Road (paved).

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is on Lantau Island, about 12km east of Hong Kong International Airport. The resort also features a Disneyland park, two resort hotels and a lake recreation centre. Though significantly smaller in size than other Disneyland-style parks elsewhere, the park has undergone an expansion to offer more attractions (including the recent-opened Toy Story Land and Grizzly Gulch). It offers some great attractions and short queues most of the year (except the week of Chinese New Year, Easter, Halloween and Christmas season). It is also considerably cheaper than Tokyo Disneyland, Euro Disneyland or those in the USA – in fact, it's much cheaper than most theme parks for entry and food.

Ocean Park is on the southern side of Hong Kong island, and is the park that grew up with many local Hong Kong people. With roller coasters and large aquariums altogether, it is still packed on weekends with families and tourists. The cable car is an icon, though for those who are scared, there is now a funicular railway underneath the mountain that emulates a submarine dive. For many, the chance to see Hong Kong's pandas would be a deciding factor. Young adults will be attracted to the wider range (and more adrenalin-pumping nature) of rides.

Ngong Ping 360 on Lantau Island is a Buddhist themed park that features Imperial Chinese architecture, interactive shows, demonstrations, restaurants and coffee shops. The highlight of this trip is the longest cable car ride in Hong Kong that affords stunning views. The ride also takes you to the largest outdoor seated Buddha.

Travelling on a bus or a tram is ideal for looking at different sides of Hong Kong. Not only is it cheap to ride on a bus or a tram, it also allows you to see completely different lifestyles in different districts in a short time. Below are some recommended routes.

NWFB Routes H1, H1A and H2: These are rickshaw-themed double-deckers going to main heritage spots on the Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, such as the Man Mo Temple, the Court of Final Appeal (previously LegCo) in Central, the Garden Road Peak Tram Terminal, the Mong Kok markets, the Tsim Sha Tsui East waterfront and the Temple Street Night Market. A single journey costs $33, a day pass costs $200, and you can hop on and hop off at any stop. The termini are at Central (Star Ferry) and Peninsula Hotel, Tsim Sha Tsui.

KMB Routes 270A and 271 – starts from the downtown in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. It goes along Peninsular Kowloon and heads through the New Territories. Then it goes into the Lion Rock Tunnel. Afterwards it goes through Tolo Highway, where you can see the scenic Tolo Harbour. 271: The bus further goes to Tai Po and you can see the traditional Market (alight at Kwong Fuk Road or Po Heung Bridge). 270A: The bus passes through the countryside and eventually reaches its terminus at Sheung Shui (below Landmark North), which is near the Hong Kong – Shenzhen boundary. The journey takes 1 hour (271) /90 minutes (270A) and costs $11.1(271)/$14.8(270A) for the whole journey with an air-conditioned bus.

KMB Routes 2 and 6: A cheap and convenient way parallel to the MTR Tsuen Wan Line, route 6 has been dubbed the "Shopping Route". It runs every 8-9 minutes from Tsim Sha Tsui (Star Ferry) to Lai Chi Kok bus terminus, where the Dialogue in the Dark exhibition is held. (In contrast, route 2 is less frequent and terminates at Sham Shui Po (So Uk).) Both routes go along Nathan Road, passing many points such as the Temple Street Night Market, Mong Kok Ladies' Market and the Golden Computer Arcade in Sham Shui Po. A single journey costs $4.9 on route 2 and $5.1 on route 6.

Citybus Route 973: It starts from the Tsim Sha Tsui East (Mody Road) Bus Terminus, near Salisbury Road and Chatham Road South. It goes along Salisbury Road, where the Avenue of Stars, The Space Museum and the Art Museum are located, and Canton Road, near the Harbour City and China Hong Kong City. Later it goes to University of Hong Kong, which is the most prominent and the oldest university in Hong Kong after crossing the Western Harbour Crossing. It later passes through the countryside of the southern part of Hong Kong [27]. It will reach the Hong Kong southern side, where the Jumbo/Tai Pak Floating Restaurant is located at Aberdeen. Not long after, the bus passes by a football field, from which it is a 5–10 minutes walk to Ocean Park. (Some departures will divert via Ocean Park on weekends and holidays – check the timetable.) Finally, the bus passes by the beautiful sandy beach of Repulse Bay, before it finally arrives at its terminus station at Stanley Village, where the famous Murray House and the Stanley Village Market are located. The fare is $13.6 and it takes about 95 minutes for the journey.

Citybus Routes 1, 5B, 5X and 10: Departing every 3-9 minutes most of the day and costing only $3-4 (with many interchange discounts), these buses are one of the best ways to tour the northern Hong Kong Island. The 1 starts from Felix Villas (Mount Davis) and the 5B, 5X and 10 start from Kennedy Town. All of these goes through the Dried Seafood Street in Sai Ying Pun, the Sheung Wan, Central and Admiralty commercial areas (note that 5X is an express and omits Sai Ying Pun and Sheung Wan), Wan Chai (1:Wan Chai Road, 5B and 5X: Hennessy Road, 10:Queen's Road East (Wan Chai Market, Hopewell Centre)), Causeway Bay (1:Happy Valley, 5B and 5X:Sogo Department Store and Hysan Place, 10:Times Square, Happy Valley Racecourse), Victoria Park (5X and 10 only) and North Point (10 only, terminates at North Point pier with ferries to Hung Hom, Kowloon City and Kwun Tong).

NWFB Route 15 starts from Central (Exchange Square) to The Peak. It is an alternative way for getting to The Peak by bus rather than by Peak Tram. Your journey to Hong Kong will not be complete unless you have visited Victoria Peak. You can see the beautiful view of Hong Kong Island, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon Peninsula along the Stubbs Road during the journey. When you arrive, there are two shopping malls: The Peak Tower and The Peak Galleria, which provide restaurants, a supermarket, and souvenir shops for your convenience. In addition, you can visit Madame Tussauds Hong Kong and see if the mannequins look to be the real deal. Direction: you can take MTR and get off at Hong Kong station. You can approach Hong Kong station by the underpass from Central station. After that, follow the exit B1 to Exchange Square and you will see the bus terminus. You can also get off at Admiralty station. Then, follow the C1 exit towards Queensway Plaza. Make a right after you exit the station, and you will see the bus stop. After you get on the bus, just stay on until it arrives to The Peak bus terminus. The bus fare is $9.8 and it takes about 30 minutes for the journey.

The Hong Kong Tramways are a slow yet special form of transport running on Hong Kong Island. It has been operating since 1904 and is an obvious relic of the British administration – the only remaining double-decker tram line in the world. A trip on a tram is a perfect way to have a leisurely tour around Hong Kong Island's major streets and to have a glimpse of the local life. Fares are relatively cheap, just $2.3 per trip for an adult and $1.1 for Senior citizens (aged 65 or older) and children pay $1.2.

It is recommended to ride from as far as Kennedy Town in the west, to as far as Shau Kei Wan in the east, in order to get a strong contrast of "East meets West" and "Old meets New". Be aware that the cars are built small. Avoid bringing big packs.

A new, modern, tram system operates in the north west New Territories and serves New Towns between Yuen Long and Tuen Mun. Few tourists will be inspired by these trams but they may appeal to trainspotters.

Hong Kong's version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Avenue of Stars celebrates icons of Hong Kong cinema from the past century. The seaside promenade offers fantastic views, day and night, of Victoria Harbour and its iconic skyline. This is the place to have your picture taken by a professional photographer who is experienced in night photography. The Avenue can be reached from the East Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station or the Star Ferry bus terminus.

The Avenue of the Stars is also a great place to see A Symphony of Lights, a spectacular light and laser show synchronised to music and staged every night at 20:00. This is the world's "Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show" as recognised by Guinness World Records. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the light show is in English. On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday it is in Mandarin. On Sunday it is in Cantonese. While at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, spectators can tune their radios to FM103.4MHz for English narration, FM106.8MHz for Cantonese or FM107.9 for Mandarin. The same soundtrack can be accessed via mobile phones at 35665665 for the English version, where normal telephone rates apply. Whilst the show is not such a big deal, during festival times the light show is supplemented by fireworks that are worth seeing. Photographers should arrive 30-60 minutes early to get an unobstructed view.

Avenue of Stars under reconstruction – As of late october 2016, the Avenue is under reconstruction (some sign says since 2015). The statues and the walk of fame have been moved to the nearby Garden of Stars nearby, just before the Shangri-La hotel.
Therefore, the Symphony of Lights is better seen from the other side of the under-construction "New World Center" (on the southern side), near the "East Tsim Sha Tsui (Railway) Station" bus stop on Salisbury Road.

The newly reclaimed area between Central Ferry Pier and Convention Centre on Hong Kong island is being developed as a recreational area offering open space (unusual in central Hong Kong), the Hong Kong Observation Wheel, outdoor seating, waterfront cafes, seasonal events and a great view of the Kowloon skyline and Central skyscrapers (if you like your wide angles), especially at night.

Chinese (Lunar) New Year (農曆新年). Although this may seem like an ideal time to go to Hong Kong, many shops and restaurants are closed during the first 3 days of the Chinese New Year, so visitors will not see Hong Kong at its best. However, unlike Christmas in Europe where you can hardly find shops open, department stores, supermarkets, and Western fast-food restaurants generally remain open, so you can still get food and daily products easily during the Lunar New Year period. The week or two leading up to the Chinese New Year as well as the period from the 3rd to the 15th day are good times to soak up the festive mood and listen to Chinese New Year songs being played in the shops. There are some celebratory events such as lion dances, fireworks, and parades.

Spring Lantern Festival (元宵節). If you go to Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, you will be able to experience this traditional Chinese festival. A number of beautiful lanterns can be found in the park at this time.

Ching Ming Festival (清明節). This festival in Spring is also known as grave sweeping day. To show respect to the deceased, family members go to the grave of their ancestors to sweep away leaves and remove weeds around the grave area. Paper offerings are also burned, such as fake money.

Birthday of Tin Hau(天后誕). Hong Kong’s maritime heritage ensures that Tin Hau, Goddess of the Sea and patron saint of fishermen, has a strong and loyal following here. On her birthday, locals flock to the more than 70 temples dedicated to her in Hong Kong to pray for safety, security, fine weather and full fishing nets during the coming year. So enduring is the reverence for Tin Hau in Hong Kong that this festival is even celebrated by many young people who are more likely to catch a fish in a Seafood Restaurant than on a trawler.

Birthday of the Buddha(佛誕). The Birthday of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama), the founder of Buddhism, also called the Buddha Bathing Festival, is one of the most spiritual and unique festivals celebrated in Hong Kong. According to legend, nine dragons sprayed water to bathe the baby Buddha at birth. To commemorate this, at Buddhist temples across the city, devotees gather to pay their respects to this revered deity by bathing statues of him in bowls of water. The ritual is believed to aid in the purification of one’s soul. One of the grandest ceremonies is held at the Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island, home of the Big Buddha.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival (長洲太平清醮). This is takes place on the tiny island of Cheung Chau. In the past the festival has involved competitions with people climbing bun towers to snatch buns. After the unfortunate collapse of a bun tower in 1978, due to an overload of people, the competition was abandoned. It was resumed again in 2005 with better safety measures.

Tuen Ng Festival (端午節), popularly known as Dragon Boat Festival. This is a festival in memory of a national hero from the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history. Dragon boat races are typically held during this festival with boats that have shapes of a dragon. People celebrate also by eating glutinous rice dumplings, usually with pork fillings, and drinking realgar wine. The Dragon Boat Festival takes place on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese lunar month which is going to be 18 June 2018.

Hungry Ghost Festival (中元節). This festival runs throughout the seventh month of the Chinese calendar. It is believed that the gates of hell open during this period and hungry ghosts are allowed to roam freely into our world. Though not a public holiday, this is the time where one can see many people perform various rites to appease the wandering ghosts, such as offering food and burning joss paper. One can also see traditional performances such as Chinese opera which are held to appease these ghosts.

Mid Autumn Festival / Moon Festival (中秋節). This festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. Moon cakes which contain lotus seed paste and duck egg yolks are a popular delicacy. Many foreigners will find the traditional mooncake hard to appreciate, so you might like to try the ice-cream version as well. The festival is also known as the lantern festival and various parts of Hong Kong will be festooned with decorative lanterns which set the night scene ablaze with colour.

Chung Yeung Festival (重陽節). Is a day also known as Autumn Remembrance, which is similar to Ching Ming in spring, where families visit the graves of their ancestors to perform cleansing rites and pay their respects. As the weather cools down during this part of the year, hiking is a good activity to do during this holiday.

Halloween (萬聖節). Halloween has grown rapidly in popularity and many people dress up to party till late. Trick or treat is not common but most restaurants and shopping centres are decorated and have special programmes. For young adults and teenagers, Ocean Park and Disneyland is the place to be for Halloween fun. It is not a public holiday.

Christmas (聖誕節). Christmas is celebrated Hong Kong style. The city is adorned using traditional Western Christmas decorations. Many shopping centres, such as Pacific Place, offer ample opportunities for children to meet Santa. Most shops and restaurants remain open throughout Christmas. You should expect large crowds out shopping for the Christmas sales.

New Year's Eve (元旦除夕). New Year's Eve in Hong Kong is something to check out if you are seeking a carnival experience. Hundreds of thousands of people out on the streets to celebrate the New Year is truly an unforgettable time. There are all-night services on the MTR, night-buses, and of course, many taxis. Fireworks go off on the harbour front, which a lot of people attend to watch on both sides of the harbour: Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon side) and Central (Hong Kong Island). The young adults and older adults decide to party with the rest of Hong Kong at the hot-spots such as Causeway Bay, Lan Kwai Fong and Tsim Sha Tsui. Many people dress up and attend private parties and others flock to the streets to enjoy the atmosphere. Police patrol around popular areas to make sure the city is a safe party-zone. Hong Kong people are not great drinkers and most of them stay dry for the night. Drinking alcohol on the street is uncommon. So visitors who drink should moderate their behaviour or risk being screened out by the police as the only drunks in the crowd.

Hong Kong Rugby Sevens. This annual event brings many visitors from around the world to celebrate the most entertaining installment in the IRB Sevens Series. It is a giant three day sell-out event that takes place between the last days of March and beginning of April.

Hong Kong Summer Spectacular.Dragon Boat Race, music festivals, summer sales, as well as book exhibitions, Anime Fair, all in the hottest summer parties and coolest carnival!

Ride the tram between Kennedy Town and Shau Kei Wan. The journey takes round 80 minutes and costs $2.30. The Hongkong Tramways run between the West and East of Hong Kong Island. Starting from the old district Kennedy Town, you can see the residental areas, followed by the Chinese herbal medicine and dried seafood wholesalers in Sai Ying Pun – Sheung Wan. Then the tram goes in the famous Central district with high rise commercial buildings and banks. Wan Chai and Causeway Bay are the districts popular with shoppers and are always crowded with people at all times. Travelling further east are North Point and Shau Kei Wan areas, which are of completely different styles from that in Central and Causeway Bay. More comfort-seeking travellers may take the air-conditioned #5B (Kennedy Town – Causeway Bay (HK Stadium)), #2 (Sheung Wan (Macau Ferry) – Shau Kei Wan (Aldrich Bay)), #81 (Tai Hang (Lai Tak Tsuen) – Chai Wan (Hing Wah Estste) via King's Road) or other buses running parallel to the tram line, with fares as low as $3.4 (plus additional interchange discounts).

Hong Kong is one of the main centres of Chinese pop culture with a huge and vibrant entertainment industry, and is home to many famous singers and actors such as Jacky Cheung, Leslie Chueng Kwok-Wing, Andy Lau, Wong Ka Kui (Beyond), Jackie Chan and locally Eason Chan, just to name a few. In addition to the locals, any foreign bands touring Asia are pretty much guaranteed to perform in Hong Kong, and concerts by famous singers are often a sell out affair.

You are never far from the sea in Hong Kong and going to a good beach is only a bus-ride away. However, if you want a really good beach, then it is worth making the effort to travel, possibly on foot, and seek out the beaches of the New Territories. With more than 200 outlying islands, as well as an extensive coastline that is jam-packed with impressive bays and beaches, you will surely come across some good looking beaches to while the whole day away. Hong Kong's urban beaches are usually well maintained and have services such as showers and changing rooms. Where beaches are managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Dept. shark nets and life guards are present. Dogs and smoking are not permitted on these beaches.

The best beaches to use include:

Repulse Bay is a large urban beach on the south side of Hong Kong island. It has recently had money spent on its facilities and will appeal to those who have young children.

Middle Bay is popular with gay people and is a 20 minute walk from the crowds at Repulse Bay. Middle Bay has lifeguards, showers, changing rooms, shark nets and a decent cafe serving drinks and snacks.

Shek O is a beach popular with many young Hong Kong people. It is away from the bustle of the city but is well served by restaurants and has a good bus service from the north side of the island. The Thai restaurant close to the beach is worth a try.

Big Wave Bay This beach is smaller than others on Hong Kong Island but still has good services which include a number of small cafes close to the beach. Big Wave Bay, as the name suggests, has the sort of waves that appeal to surfers. From Big Wave Bay it is possible to take the coastal footpath to Chai Wan where you can find the MTR and buses. The walk to Chai Wan is about one hour, or more if you are not used to the steep climb up the mountain.

Hung Shing Yeh beach is highly regarded as the most popular beach and is located on Lamma Island. This beach is Grade 1 and shows off powdery, fine sand as well as clear water. This beach is well-appointed by means of changing facilities, a barbecue area, and a refreshment kiosk. To arrive at this beach, take the ferryboat from Central Pier to Yung Shue Wan. Expect to walk around 20 minutes from the ferry terminal to the beach (buses and taxis are not an option on Lamma), don't worry, it's a great, easy walk.

Other than swimming pools in hotel, Hong Kong offers a series of public swimming pools which are maintained to a very high standard. It costs $19 for adults and $9 for children. Swimming pools are children friendly with shallow pools and fountains. All swimming pool complexes offer swimming lanes, hot showers, lockers, and most have swimming clubs for serious swimmers.

The Kowloon Park swimming pool complex (Tsim Sha Tsui MTR exit A1) is centrally located and offers visitors a wide range of services. Indoors is a main pool that is Olympic sized, a slightly smaller training pool, a diving pool and a leisure pool for younger swimmers. During the summer months the indoor pools are air-conditioned, whilst in winter the water is heated. Outdoors, during the summer season, they have four leisure pools to meet the needs of all ages. In summer, the pool is popular with teenagers but all age-groups make good use of the pools. A limited number of sun loungers are available.

The pools in Kowloon Park open at 06:30 and close at 22:00. There are session breaks when the centre closes for lunch 12:00-13:00 and then it closes for another hour 17:00-18:00. Most public pools in Hong Kong have similar opening and closing times with session breaks.

Family changing rooms are available in addition to the regular changing rooms. Males and females have separate changing areas but changing rooms do not offer much privacy between users of the same sex. Swimmers are expected to provide their own towels and toiletries. A $5 coin is needed to operate a locker or you can provide your own padlock (you can get back the $5 coin after you unlock the locker, its right behind the keyhole). An Octopus card or coins are needed for payment to enter the complex.

There is at least one pool in each district of Hong Kong. For the address and opening schedule, see the government website.

You can rent out a Junk Boat for a sailing trip with your family and friends. A typical junk boat can accommodate more than 30 people and can be rented for the day to take you on a tour of your choice. Sai Kung is a popular spot for the trip to start and you can sail to nearby beaches for a more secluded time. A cheaper alternative is to hire a much smaller water taxi (水道) to take you to where you want to go.

Ham Tin beach is a great destination for campers in the Sai Kung East Country Park

Hiking is the best kept secret in Hong Kong, it is a great way to appreciate Hong Kong's beautiful landscapes that include mountains, beaches and breathtaking cityscapes. The starting points for many hiking trails are accessible by bus or taxi. Hiking is highly recommended for active travellers who want to escape the modern urban world.

Hiking in Hong Kong can be strenuous because of the steep trails, and during the summer months, mosquitos and the hot, humid, weather combine to make even the easiest trek a workout. It is highly recommended that you wear suitable clothes, and bring plenty of water and mosquito repellent. It is fairly unlikely that you will have a close encounter with venomous snakes, although they are present in most rural areas. Most local people choose the winter months to undertake the more demanding hiking trails. If you are not especially fit you might plan your route so that you take a bus or taxi to the highest point of the trail and then walk downhill.

Fishing at Stanley

Campsites in Hong Kong are plentiful and free of charge. Most are located within the country parks and range from basic sites serviced with only with a drop-toilet, to those that provide campers with modern toilet blocks with cold showers. Some sites have running water and sinks for washing dishes. A few campsites have places to buy drinking water and food, whilst many are serenely remote. Weekends and public holidays are predictably busy, especially in the more accessible places close to roads. Many Hong Kong people like to camp in large groups, talk loudly and stay awake until very late, so if you are noise sensitive try to find a remote campsite or learn to keep your temper.

Maclehose Trail through the New Territories. Oxfam organizes an annual charity hike of this 100Km trail every November. Winning teams finish in around 11-12 hours but average people take 30-36 hours to finish the whole trail, which starts from the eastern end of the New Territories (Sai Kung) to the western end (Tuen Mun).

Family Trail on Lamma Island. Its highest point is around 100 metres above sea level, and the route is well signposted. Starting Point: Take a ferry from Central ferry pier 4 to Yung Shue Wan. From Yung Shue Wan Main Street, walk past Hung Shing Yeh Beach and you will meet the start of the Family Trail.

Hong Kong has some exceptional rural landscapes but visitor impact is an issue. Please respect the countryside by taking your litter home with you. Avoid using litter bins in remote areas as these are not emptied on a regular basis and your litter may be strewn around by hungry animals.

Hong Kong Outdoors [28] and Journey to Hong Kong[29] are packed with information on hiking and camping, and other great things to do and places to go in the wilderness areas of Hong Kong.

Horse racing may get all the media attention. Betting on world-wide football matches is also available at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. People can't bet on other sports as it's prohibited.

Marksix is a popular lottery ticket among the locals, it costs $10 for each bet and you can pick 6 from 49 numbers in a bet, the lottery result will be announced on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and weekends without horse racing, it can be bought in all Hong Kong Jockey Club offices.

Mahjong (麻雀 ma jeuk) also forms an integral part of Hong Kong gambling culture. Mahjong also has had a strong influence on Hong Kong pop culture, with a history of songs and films based on a mahjong theme. The game played in Hong Kong is the Cantonese version, which differs in rules and scoring from the Japanese version or the versions played in other parts of China. Mahjong parlours are ubiquitous in Hong Kong, though they do not advertise their services openly and many require a fair amount of effort to find. They also have many unwritten rules that visitors may find hard to understand.

Basically, the government provides 12-year free education for pupils from primary level to secondary level. The latest cohort is 3-3-4, that is 3-year junior secondary studies, 3-year senior secondary studies and 4-year tertiary studies. A limited number of schools have been appointed to conduct the Swiss International Baccalaureate (IB) educational programme, which has gained wide reception in the US and Canada.

English Language is a compulsory subject in all primary and secondary schools. English textbooks are mostly written in British English rather than American English.

Foreigners living in Hong Kong are prone to sending their children to study in international schools, such as the American International School Hong Kong, the Australian International School Hong Kong and Canadian International School.

Education is taken very seriously in Hong Kong and the territory has a total 9 universities, of which the University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology are considered to be world class and attract students from far and wide. Most of these universities have exchange agreements with foreign universities, and these are a good way for one to experience living in Hong Kong for up to a year if your university has an exchange agreement with one of them. Courses for exchange students are often conducted in English.

Visitors to Hong Kong will soon notice that school children wear 'British-style' uniforms that have been adapted to the sub-tropical climate. It is a tradition for school students to sell 'flags' and collect money for charity on a Wednesday/ Saturday morning.

Around one third of the primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong adopt English as the medium of instruction, while the rest use Cantonese in daily lessons. Most courses in local universities are taught in English, while courses concerning local and Chinese culture might be taught in Cantonese. Some of the universities in Hong Kong offer Cantonese lessons for foreigners. This is a good way, for those living in Hong Kong for an extended period of time, to learn the local language. Like Taiwan and Macau, but unlike mainland China, the script taught is traditional Chinese.

You will need an employment visa in Hong Kong to take up any employment – paid or unpaid – even if you are from Britain or mainland China. This usually involves any potential employer making an application to the Immigration Department on your behalf; crucially you should have skills that are probably not available from the local job market. In June 2006, the Immigration Department revived a rule that allows the spouse of anyone currently working legally in Hong Kong to get a "dependent visa". This allows the spouse to take up any employment they wish, without having to seek approval from the Immigration Department. Dependent visas are available to mainland Chinese who are dependent on foreign workers legally employed in Hong Kong, but the process is longer and more complex for mainland Chinese dependent on Hong Kong Permanent Residents. Same-sex couple are now eligible to "dependent visa", as long as you're legally married in you home country.

In 2006, the Hong Kong Government introduced a new program called the Quality Migrant Application Scheme which targets skilled, preferably university educated, labour with good knowledge of languages to come and settle in Hong Kong and seek employment. For more information, visit the website of the Hong Kong Immigration Department [30]. Hong Kong does feature a small ESL market, teachers will typically need a Bachelor`s Degree and a TESOL certification. ESL teachers in Hong Kong can expect to earn HK$12,000 – HK$25,000 (monthly) and will usually teach 30 – 40 hours in a week. Contracts will sometimes include accommodation and airfare.

The Hong Kong dollar (港幣 or HKD) is the territory's official currency and is the unit of currency used throughout this travel guide and simply denoted with the $ sign. In Chinese, one dollar is known formally as the yuen (圓) and colloquially as the men (蚊) in Cantonese. You can safely assume that the '$' sign used in the territory refers to HKD. If US dollars are intended then they will be symbolised as "USD". The Hong Kong dollar is also widely accepted in Macau in lieu of their home currency at a 1:1 rate.

The official exchange rate is not fixed but moves within a very tight range: US$1 = HK$7.75-7.85. When exchanging currency at a big bank, be prepared to pay a small fixed commission, usually about $40 per transaction. If exchanging large amounts, this commission will have a negligible impact on the transaction. If exchanging small amounts, it may be advantageous to exchange at one of many independent exchange shops found in tourist areas. Although their exchange rates compared with big banks are slightly less favourable for you, most do not charge a commission. They may also be more convenient and faster ways to exchange (no queues, located in shopping centres, open 24 hours, etc.). However, be wary of using independent exchangers outside banking hours because, without competition from big banks, their rates may become very uncompetitive.

Avoid changing money at the airport as well as the hotel since the rates there are extremely uncompetitive.

Many tourists opt to use their ATM debit cards instead of carrying cash or traveller's cheques. Using this method, the exchange rates and fees are comparable to exchanging cash at big banks. However, some smaller banks do not accept ATM cards from overseas customers. The best banks for foreign tourists to use are HSBC, Hang Seng and Standard Chartered, and ATM machines from those banks are widespread. Also, be mindful of withdrawal limits imposed by your bank. Note that for security reasons, many banks have 'quietly' imposed withdrawel limits for other then your home country, so check before departure if that applies to you. Adjust that limit for both Hong Kong and China, since sometimes ATMs of China-based banks will still be limited.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) issues the new purple plastic $10 notes while the rest are issued by three banks (the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, also known as the 'Hong Kong bank', Standard Chartered Bank and Bank of China). The old green paper $10 notes issued by HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank remain legal tender. The style of notes varies a lot between banks though the colour and size are about the same for notes of the same denomination. The larger the denomination, the larger the size of the banknotes. Banknotes come in denominations of:

$10, green or purple (paper or plastic).

$20, dark blue or light blue (old or new).

$50, purple or green (old or new).

$100, red.

$500, brown.

$1000, gold.

Some shops do not accept $1000 notes due to counterfeiting concerns.

The coins come in units of

$10, in bronze/silver, circular.

$5, in silver, circular, thicker.

$2, in silver, wavey-circular.

$1, in silver, circular, thinner.

50¢, in bronze, circular, larger.

20¢, in bronze, wavey-circular.

10¢, in bronze, circular, smaller.

varying in a descending size (except $10 coin).

Since September 1997, the use of the small coins and change has been reduced due to the innovation of the Octopus card. Originally used just for fare payment for the MTR and buses, it now is used all over the city, for purchases in any amount at convenience stores, fast food restaurants, pharmacies, vending machines, etc.

Automated Teller Machines (ATM's) are common in urban areas. They usually accept VISA, MasterCard, and to certain degree UnionPay. Maestro and Cirrus cards are widely accepted also. They dispense $100, $500 or rarely $1000 notes depending on the request. Credit card use is common in most shops for major purchases. Most retailers accept VISA and MasterCard, and some accept American Express as well. Maestro debit cards however are not widely accepted by retailers. Signs with the logo of different credit cards are usually displayed at the door to indicate which cards are accepted. For small purchases, in places such as McDonalds or 7-Eleven, cash or Octopus Card is the norm though some of these outlets can accept credit cards for smaller purchases. Sometimes, the merchant can give you a choice of whether to charge your credit card purchase directly to your home currency or Hong Kong dollars. Choosing which currency to directly charge the purchase to won't matter for small amounts but for larger purchases it may be worth it to consult your credit card's policy on them converting foreign exchange transactions.
Making payments in your own currency looks convenient, but effectively lets the retailer (or their bank) choose the rate of exchange.

Merchants will require that the credit cards be signed and may compare your signature with the card, but do not ask for picture ID. The exception are stores like McDonalds where purchases below $200 do not require a signature. Although debit/credit card readers are capable of reading and processing chip cards, the 'chip and pin' system for credit card authorisation is not used in Hong Kong.

Foreigners may open bank accounts in Hong Kong, though a proof of address is required. As your passport usually does not show your address, you should also bring something that shows your address such as an ID card or a bank statement.

HK Bitcoin ATM (Bitcoin), Shop 322, 3/F, President Commercial Centre, 608 Nathan Road, Mongkok, Hong Kong (http://hkbitcoinatm.com/location/), [1]. 24. is the first Bitcoin ATM shop in Hong Kong and is located 20 meters from Mong Kok underground station. The shop is on the 3rd floor of Chic Castle Mall, open 24/7 accessible by the elevator from the Nathan Road entrance. Travellers can convert their unused Hong Kong dollar to Bitcoin when leaving Hong Kong or sell Bitcoin for Hong Kong Dollar ! The shop also has robots, Bitcoin mining machines and more.(22.317265,114.170308)edit

Dynamic currency conversion is prevalent in Hong Kong. Some shops and restaurants (especially the high end stores such as those selling watches or those that display a sign saying, "We speak your currency," with different world currency symbols) offer the option to charge your card in your home currency for foreign VISA/MasterCards. Usually you are shown the payment terminal with a box for HKD and another box for your home currency. Always choose the box for HKD before signing or entering your PIN; as a competitive rate will then be determined by VISA/MasterCard less a foreign transaction fee charged by your card issuer. Otherwise, if you choose your home currency, expect to pay 3 to 4 percent more for your purchase due to a less competitive exchange rate as well as your card issuer's foreign transaction fee. Always check every credit card receipt – even if not prompted – to ensure that it does not have an amount charged in your home currency and the exchange rate used as a merchant may have "helpfully" selected your home currency for you without your knowledge. If it does, tell them to void the transaction and do it again. Firmly decline any attempts by the merchant to convince you to select your home currency – they may lie about how charging in your home currency will avoid the foreign transaction fee. This is usually false, as the rate provided by the merchant is usually less competitive than the rate provided by your card less the foreign transaction fee. Furthermore, even a transaction in your home currency may still result in a foreign transaction fee as the fee is usually applied on the basis of the transaction occurring outside your home country rather than what currency it was transacted in.

Hong Kong is expensive by Asian standards especially the cost of accommodation. A traveller on a bare bones budget can probably survive with $150 for a day if you are willing to stay in some of the cheapest accommodation in Hong Kong which could be as cheap as $60 per bed but the quality is not what everyone can tolerate.

Backpackers with a less tight budget should expect to spend at least $150 for a bed and $500 for a room. Family travellers should expect to pay at least $1000 for accommodation per night.

Sites such as wimdu and airbnb do offer a considerable range of 'local' accommodation, though standards vary. It is a good way to stay in areas where people actually live and see the day to day goings on of life. Be aware though that these are not hotel style accommodation and reflect the tiny spaces that Hong Kongers live in (including short, narrow beds).

The cheapest food available will cost you around $25-35 for a meal (or $2.50+ per piece for Dim Sum), although in mid-range restaurants, $150-200 per head is common.

Another option if you don't feel like dealing with people or the language barrier (and aren't that fussy) are the microwave meals at 7-Eleven and Circle K. Usually these cost around $10-$15, and are of an adequate nature, especially given how cheap they are. Microwaves are onsite at 7-Eleven to allow you to reheat. Usually 7-Eleven and Circle K will have basic sushi, sandwiches and instant cup noodles, which make for a very cheap feed.

Tipping is only practised in limited situations by local people and it's not expected for every little service such as a taxi driver, or a waiter. People will not reject any tips you care to hand them. Tipping is a matter of personal choice, but visitors should take into account that locals usually do not leave a tip. Visitors should also know that it is common for bar and restaurant owners to keep some, or all, of the money given as tips. One exception would be the ubiquitous foot massage parlours, where the man or woman providing the foot massage is reliant on tips for a significant portion of his or her income, and generally gets to keep the full amount.

In cheaper joints, tipping is not expected at all and it will be considered unusual not to take all your change. In medium-to-upmarket restaurants, a 10% service charge is often compulsorily added to your bill and this is usually regarded as the tip. You may wish to tip on top of the service charge for good service, but it is neither compulsory nor expected; to give it more chance of reaching the staff tips should be given in cash not as additions to a credit card bill. It is also common for midrange Chinese restaurants to give you peanuts, tea and towels and add a small charge to the bill. Known as "cha-sui money" (money for tea and water) it is considered to be common practice. So, unless the charge is excessive, tourists should accept it as part of the cost of the meal. Sometimes, restaurants will deliberately give customers change in coins, when bills should be given; it is your choice to either take all your change or leave a small tip.

Tipping is not expected in taxis but passengers will often round up the fare to the nearest dollar. During a typhoon, when any loss is not covered by insurance, a tip will be expected, or the taxi driver will ask you to pay a surcharge. In hotels, a guest is also expected to tip at least $10-20 for room service, and porters also expect $10-20 for carrying your bags. Bathroom attendants in luxury restaurants and clubs might also expect you to leave a few coins, but it's socially acceptable not to tip.

Exceptionally, on important occasions, such as a wedding party or similar big gala event, local people hosting such events do tip substantially more than ten percent of the total bill. The money is put into a red envelope and given to the manager.

Fierce competition, no sales tax or VAT, and some wealthy consumers all add up to make Hong Kong an excellent destination for shopping. Choices are plentiful at competitive price. Lookout for watches, camping equipment, digital items and special cosmetics. It's worth bearing in mind that many ground-level high street shops have to cover extortionate rent, which will probably offset the saving from lack of VAT. Much of the ideas of Hongkong being a shoppers paradise are out-dated, if you want cheap goods you won't find them on the high street. This is largely down to the huge number of wealthy Chinese that come to Hongkong to buy genuine (luxury) goods, which are extremely expensive in China.

Popular shopping items include consumer electronics, custom clothing, shoes, camping equipment, jewellery, expensive brand name goods, Chinese antiques, toys and Chinese herbs/medicine. There's also a wide choice of Japanese, Korean, American and European clothing and cosmetics but price are generally higher than in their respective home countries.

Most shops in Hong Kong's urban areas open at about 10:00AM until 22:00 or even midnight every day. High rents in Hong Kong, ranked second worldwide according to Forbes, make it no surprise that the best bargain shops could be located anywhere except the ground floor. Shops recommended by local people may even be up on the 20th floor in a building that won't give you a hint that it's a place for shopping.

Many shops will accept credit cards. In accepting credit cards, the merchant will look carefully at the signature rather than looking at picture ID. In addition, merchants will not accept credit cards with a different name that the person presenting it. All shops that accept credit cards and many that don't, will also accept debit cards and ATM cards as payment. The term used for debit card payment is EPS, but many shops accept EPS for free and charge for use of the Visa/Mastercard (credit or debit) network.

In the old days, Hong Kong was a good place to buy cheap knockoff, fake products, and pirated videos and software. Today, Hong Kong residents often buy these items in Shenzhen just across the border in mainland China.

Be careful when shopping at stores that have neon-lighted signs of famous brands. Some have complained about the products they purchased from there.

Antiques and Arts- Head for Hollywood Road and Loscar Road in Central. Here you will find a long street of shops with a wide selection of products that look like antiques. Some items are very good fakes, so make sure you know what you are buying. Try Star House near the Star Ferry pier in Tsim Sha Tsui for more expensive items.

Antiques and Arts shopping center Hong Kong

Books- Hong Kong houses a fair (if dwindling) choice of English books, Korean Japanese, French titles, and huge range of uncensored Chinese titles. Prices are usually higher than where they import but it is your last hope to look for your books before heading to China. Try Swindon Books [32] on Lock Road in Tsim Sha Tsui and Page One [33] in Harbour City (Kowloon) and Festival Walk (Kowloon Tong). Dymocks, an Australian bookshop, has withdrawn from Hong Kong in early 2015. For French books, visit Librairie Parentheses on Wellington Street in Central and Japanese and Korean books are sold in Sogo Shopping Mall in Causeway bay. The biggest local bookshop chain is the Commercial Press and usually have a cheaper but limited English titles. For looking for Chinese books, local people's beloved bookshops are all along Sai Yeung Choi Street. Called Yee Lau Sue Den (Bookshop on second floor), they hide themselves in the upper floor of old buildings (look for signs containing the traditional character 書) and offer an unbeatable discount on all books.

Cameras- Reputable camera stores are located mainly in Central, Tsim Sha Tsui and Mongkok but tourist traps do exist, especially in Tsim Sha Tsui. The basic rule is to avoid all the shops with flashing neon signs along Nathan Road and look for a shop with plenty of local, non-tourist, customers. Only use recommended shops, as shops such as those on Nathan Road are likely to disappear on your next visit to Hong Kong. For easy shopping, get a bus or train to Mong Kok and head to Sai Yeung Choi Street, where you might find some of the best deals. The Mong Kok Computer Centre and Galaxy Mall (Sing Jai) are always packed with local people. Several camera shops like Man-Sing and Yau-Sing are known for their impolite staff but have a reputation for selling at fair prices. In the 1990s and early 2000s, most shops didn't allow much bargaining, but this has changed since 2003 with the influx of tourists from mainland China. While it is hard to tell how much discount you should ask for, if a shop can give you more than 25-30% discount, local people tend to believe that it's too good to be true, unless it's a listed seasonal sale.

Computers- The base price of computer equipment in Hong Kong is similar to those in other parts of the world, but there are substantial savings to be hand from the lack of sales tax or VAT.

The Wanchai Computer Centre, Mongkok Computer Centre and Golden Computer Arcade on Sham Shui Po are all a few steps away from their corresponding MTR stations. Also electronic equipment is available at the large chain stores such as Broadway and Fortress which are located in the large malls. The major chain stores will accept credit cards, while smaller shops will often insist on cash or payment by ATM card.

Computer Games and Gaming Hardware- If you are interested in buying a new Playstation, Nindendo DS and the like, the Oriental Shopping Centre, 188 Wan Chai Road, is the place to go. Here you will definitely find a real bargain. Prices can be up to 50% cheaper than in your home country. Be careful to compare prices first. There are also a few game shops in the Wanchai Computer Centre. The back corners in the upper levels usually offer the best prices. You might even be lucky and find English speaking staff here. However, be careful to make sure that the region code of the hardware is compatible with your home country's region code (Hong Kong's region code is NTSC-J, different from mainland China) or buy region code free hardware (like the Nintendo DS lite but NOT the 3DS).

Music and Film- HMV is a tourist-friendly store that sells a wide range of more expensive products. For real bargains you should find your way into the smaller shopping centres where you will find small independent retailers selling CDs and DVDs at very good prices. Some shops sell good quality second hand products. Try the Oriental Shopping Centre on Wanchai Road for a range of shops and a taste of shopping in a more down-market shopping centre. Alternatively, brave the warren of CD and DVD shops inside the Sino Centre on Nathan Road between Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei MTR stations. Hong Kong has two independent music stores. White Noise Records in Causeway Bay and Harbour Records in TST. Hong Kong's leading department store Lane Crawford has CD Bars in its IFC and Pacific Place stores and there's a good CD bar at Saffron Cafe on the Peak.

Camping and sports- A good place to buy sportswear is close to Mong Kok MTR station. Try Fa Yuen Street with a lot of shops selling sports shoes. There are also many shops hidden anywhere except the ground floor for selling camping equipment. Prices are usually highly competitive.

Fashion – Tsim Sha Tsui on Kowloon and Causeway Bay on the island are the most popular shopping destinations, though you can find malls all over the territory. In addition to all the major international brands, there are also several local Hong Kong brands such as Giordano, Bossini, G2000, Joyce and Shanghai Tang. The International Finance Centre in Central has a good selection of haute coutre labels for the filthy rich, while for cheap knock-offs, Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei is the obvious destination, though prices are not as cheap as they used to be and these days, most locals head across the border to Shenzhen for cheaper bargains. There is also Citygate Outlets, an extremely large factory outlet mall containing most of the major foreign and local brands located near Tung Chung MTR station on Lantau Island.
Tourist going to Ladies Market or any markets nearby please be aware that there is basically no price tag on the items shown in the market. Most of the time, the price the merchant will quote you is double the price. Haggle with them and ask to reduce the price at least by 50%. In fact similar clothing items (lower price but fixed) can be found in brick and mortar shops nearby too(e.g Sai Yeung Choi street)

Tailoring – Hong Kong was once famous for offering first-rate fully bespoke shirts and suits at unbelievably low prices. It's not quite the bargain it once was, but you can still get suits for perhaps 1/4 of the cost of similar quality in the west. The tailor shop commonly mentioned in travel guides and magazines is Sam's Tailor, mainly because he is famous for selling to celebrities like Bill Clinton, but a tourist will not get the same level of quality or service (he has a separate fitting room on the second floor for VIPs). Expect to pay about 12,000 HKD for a suit from a first-class tailor who does the work in Hong Kong (e.g., Ascot Chang or A Man Hing Cheong) and expect to go in for at least three fittings before delivery of the suit. A tailor like New Super Fit Fashions (at the Tsim Sha Tsui Mansion) does excellent work for a much lower price, but produces the final product after only one fitting which leaves fewer opportunities to tweak the result.

Tea- Buying good chinese tea is like choosing a fine wine and there are many tea retailers that cater for the connoisseur who is prepared to pay high prices for some of China's best brews. To sample and learn about Chinese tea you might like to find the Tea Museum which is in Hong Kong Park in Central. Marks & Spencer caters for homesick Brits by supplying traditional strong English tea bags at a reasonable price. Fook Ming Tong at the International Finance Centre mall carries high-end teas, ranging from about a hundred up to tens of thousands of Hong Kong dollars.

Watches and jewellery- Hong Kong people are avid watch buyers – how else can you show your wealth if you can't own a car and your home is hidden at the top of a tower-block? You will find a wide range of jewellery and watches for sale in all major shopping areas. If you are targeting elegant looking jewellery or watches try Chow Tai Fook, which can be expensive. Prices vary and you should always shop around and try and bargain on prices. When you are in Tsim Sha Tsui you will probably be offered a "copy watch" for sale. The major luxury brands have their own shops that will ensure you are purchasing genuine items.

At 415m or 88 stories tall, the IFC is among the World's tallest buildings and home to one of Hong Kong's most prestigious shopping centres.

IFC Mall[34] – Located near the Star Ferry and Outlying Islands Ferry Piers in Central. Has many luxury brand shops, an expensive cinema and superb views across the harbour from the rooftop. Can be reached directly from the Airport via the Airport Express and the Tung Chung line.

Pacific Place[35]- Also a big shopping centre with mainly high-end brands, and has a wonderful cinema. Take the MTR to Admiralty.

Festival Walk[36]- A big shopping centre with a mix of expensive brands and smaller chains. There is also an ice skating rink there. Take the MTR East Rail to Kowloon Tong.

Cityplaza[37]- A similarly large shopping centre, also with an ice-skating rink. To get there, take the MTR to Taikoo on the Island Line.

Landmark- Many the luxury brands have shops here Gucci, Dior, Fendi, Vuitton, etc. located at Central, Pedder Street. It used to be a magnet for the well-heeled but has since fallen behind in its management.

APM[38]- All new 24hr Shopping centre in Kwun Tong. Take the MTR to the Kwun Tong station.

Harbour City[39][Huge Shopping centre in Tsim Sha Tsui on Canton Road, to get there take the MTR to Tsim Sha Tsui, or take the Star Ferry.

Langham Place[40]- A huge 12 storey shopping mall adjacent to the the Langham Place Hotel in Mong Kok. Mainly contains trendy shops for youngsters. Take the MTR to the Mong Kong station and follow the appropriate exit directions.

Elements[41]- Located next to Kowloon Station. Just like the IFC Mall, there are many luxury brand shops, a cinema and an ice rink. The International Commerce Centre, the highest commercial building in Hong Kong starting from 2009, is right on top of this shopping mall.

Times Square[42]- A trendy multi storey Shopping Mall with some luxury brands, with food courts at the lower levels, and Gourmet Dining at the upper stories. Take MTR to Causeway Bay, and exit through a long tunnel (around 3-5 minutes' walk). Crowded on weekends. A popular meeting point for teenagers.

Citygate Outlet[43]- Located right next to Tung Chung MTR Station, the Citygate is a rare outlet mall with tonnes of mid-priced brands, some of them being Adidas, Esprit, Giordano, Levi's, Nike, Quiksilver and Timberland.

Laforet, Island Beverly and Causeway Place. Best places to find cheap stylish clothes, Asian style. Mostly girls clothes, but also bags, shoes and accessories, highly recommended if you are looking for something different. Immensely popular with teenagers. These three shopping malls are all located near exit E, Causeway Bay MTR station.

New Town Plaza, a 9 storey shopping mall covering 1,300,000 m² retail area in Shatin, New Territories. Diverse variety of shops, consisting of sports brands, luxury brand shops, cuisines from countries in different continents, sports, etc. can be found in the mall, which is estimated to be one of the malls with highest footfall. The mall is linked with a number of shopping centres nearby, including Phase 3 of New Town Plaza with a Japanese style Department store, YATA. More than 30 bus lines are available for accessing the shopping mall, which is located above the Sha Tin Central bus terminus. Taking the MTR East Rail to Shatin is another possible way.

Dragon Centre, a 9 storey mall on Yen Chow Street, Sham Shui Po, is a mid range shopping centre catering more to less-affluent locals, with a number of mid range shops, a very large Wellcome supermarket and plenty of places to eat. Great fun is the Apple Mall on the upper levels, where one person vendors in tiny little kiosks within a rabbits-warren ply their trade or sell their products. Buy some cute Asian tat (cartoon figurines, Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma), bags, shoes and accessories, or get your nails done. It's a bit of naff fun, but worth a look.

K11 Art Mall[44] – Located in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui, K11 District is a shopping arcade with six storeys of total 340,000 square feet floor area, and connecting to Hyatt Regency Hong Kong and The Masterpiece, contemporary-designed apartments. K11 has over 100,000 offices and 10,000 hotel rooms nearby, with Chungking Mansions, HK Museum of Arts, HK Cultural Centre and HK Museum of History as its neighbours.

D2 Place[45], the Cultural & Creativity Hub in West Kowloon, located next to Exit D2 of Lai Chi Kok MTR Station. The complex houses stylish fashion boutiques, creative markets, international F&B and lifestyle stores all under one roof. stylish fashion boutiques, creative markets by every weekend.

Street markets are a phenomenon in Hong Kong, usually selling regular groceries, clothes, bags or some cheap electronic knockoffs.

Ladies market at night

It has many brands such as cosmetic, shirts and also shoes.

Ladies Market- don't be fooled by the name. It is for both sexes for finding cheap clothes, toys, knockoff and fake labels. Located in Mong Kok and accessible by MTR or bus.Moreover,ladies market is a place for everyone. Although the name is “Ladies”, there have products for all sexes and ages. General merchandise will be mixed according to the variety of market style, ranging from “I LOVE HK” shirts, mirror bags, Jade bracelets and also oil paintings. Moreover, they are making shopping in this area more fun than other places because around the market they are other markets as well. For example, Sai-Yeung-Choi Street South sells electronic devices, model or toy buildings and collections. And also Fa-Yuen-Street South where sport shoes are sold.

Sneaker street- Actually, this road name’s Fa-Yuen-Street South. But it has many sport shoes so everyone knows it as “Sneaker Street”. In addition, it has many brand-named sportswears such as Nike, Adidas, and New-balanced etc.

Temple Street – Sold items are the same as in the Ladies Market, but there are more street food vendors, a handful of fortune tellers and a few Chinese opera singers. Illustrated in hundreds of cantonese films, this street is seen as a must by most tourists.

Flower Market – Prince Edward. Follow your nose to the sweet scents of a hundred different varieties of flowers.

Apliu Street- MTR Station Shum Shui Po, this is the place where you can find cheap computer goods, peripherals and accessories. However, this is the worst place to buy a mobile phone, as they tend to be even more dodgy than small stores in Mongkok.

Weekend Market- A place for tourists and locals to explore the local handicrafts and original creative products. It opens every weekend at D2 Place in Lai Chi Kok regularly organizes a variety of local markets and accessible by Exit D2, Lai Chi Kok MTR Station.

Stanley Market- A place for tourists rather than locals, shops sell everything from luxury luggage items to cheap brand name clothes. Accessible with bus number 6, 6X, 66 and 260 from Central and Admiralty, 63, 65 and minibus 40 from Causeway Bay, 73 from Aberdeen and 973 from Tsim Sha Tsui (via Aberdeen).

Textiles – Sham Shui Po MTR exit. Several square blocks around Nam Cheong St. (between Cheung Sha Wan Rd. and Lai Chi Kok Rd.) hold dozens and dozens of wholesalers to the textile trade. Although they are looking for big factory contracts, most shops are friendly and will sell you "sample-size" quantities of cloth, leather, haberdashery, tools, machinery and anything else you can think of to feed your creative impulses. Ki Lung Street has an outdoor street market selling smaller quantities of factory surplus cloth and supplies at astoundingly low prices. Haggling is not necessary.

Ornaments Shopping in Stanley Hong Kong

Be prepared to haggle hard at the markets, as haggling is an art form (or competitive sport) in Hong Kong, and if you're a Western tourist, you're a goldmine to the stallholders that needs to be mined. Often times, the stall holder will quote 3-5 times the price they are actually prepared to accept. A few tips for tourists that can be used are:

Learn and practice some Cantonese numbers (especially mmmh-saap ($50), yat-baak ($100) – get these right and you can respond straightaway with a counter offer in Cantonese). Sure, the stallholder will probably know the English word for your number, or have a calculator upon which to quote price and haggle, but using Cantonese numbers shows you mean business, and aren't going to be ripped off easily. If most stallholders understand your pronunciation and one acts like they can't understand, they're attempting to remove your competitive advantage.

Determine what you would be prepared to pay for the item, in your home currency and then calculate the equivalent Hong Kong Dollar amount. Then take 20-40% off that price as your final price. For instance, if that pair of Fake Oakley sunglasses are worth $20 to you in your home currency, you should be able to get them for $10-$15 in your home currency. Work out the HKD equivalent of that, and then halve that as your starting haggle price, allowing the stall holder to work down (or you up) until you're below or up to your maximum or until the stall holder gives in.

Low ball your offer. You might offend someone if you're too low, but don't let this put you off. Someone else will have the same item in a few stalls down the road. Learn when you've given the "insult" offer, and go a little higher at the next stall.

Quote a low price from "the stall down there". Often times these will be owned by the same group of people, but they're often too afraid to check with the other stall, for fear of saving face. Any phone calls checking with their "boss", "sister" or "colleague" are fake. It means that they are satisfied with your price (or you're very close), but don't want to let you know.

Don't be fooled by the emotional tactics and the "oh, you're killing me" act. They won't sell at a loss, period. If they're trying this, you're still in the game, so stand firm – it's an act. Occasionally you can put it back on them (eg. I have four girls to pay for, I can't afford to pay too much).

If they carry on about quality being the reason they charge more than the stall down the road, don't believe it – most stalls will have identical items at identical quality from the same factory. The odd poor quality item should be fairly easy to distinguish (and obviously the stallholder won't talk up its quality). For instance, if you see a Michael Koors fake purse and it looks rubbish quality, leave it until the next stall has a better one. You know the 'lowest quality' item now, and work from there. If you're buying a gift for someone you don't particularly like, you can really screw down the price on the low quality item by stating "look at this" and showing, for example, the wonky name badge or poor stitching.

If you feel you're near a price, but the negotiation is dragging for the sake of HKD10 – say thank you ("Mmmmh Goi") and walk away. You're there, but they want a few extra dollars from you. They will chase you down and let you have it for your final offer (or meet you in the middle between your prices).

If you're a couple – play good cop, bad cop. One will be happy to talk to the stallholder, whilst the other plays bad cop (start off by looking disinterested). Good cop turns to bad cop, and they 'talk' about price. Bad cop says "I'm not prepared to pay that much", with negative body language, and good cop makes it appear to the stallholder that "permission" hasn't been granted.

DO NOT flash around $500 notes, or wads of cash. Put a few $100 notes in the accessible section of your wallet, and hide the rest. If you run out of accessible money, walk a street over (away from the markets), into 7-Eleven or a retail shop, transfer a little extra money and go back into the markets. If you get $500 notes from the ATM, go to 7-Eleven and buy a drink (beer is a good option, no issues with wandering around drinking it either) to break the note down. If the stallholders think you're made of money, they'll be far harder to bargain with (and a call seems to go out in Cantonese to that effect that "Westerners with money are coming").

With that in mind, avoid any tour groups of Western tourists. They seem to either annoy the stallholder (by touching the merchandise unnecessarily and then complaining loudly about the quality, or prices not being listed) or they are the type that the stallholder will absolutely fleece. They will annoy you by clogging up large parts of an already crowded market. If the shop keepers think you're one of the group, negotiation will be very hard. Take a breather, go to the shop for a drink or start at another section of the market.

Some stores in Hong Kong (even some chain stores) are willing to negotiate on price, particularly for goods such as consumer electronics, and in many small shops, they will give you a small discount or additional merchandise if you just ask. For internationally branded items whose prices can be easily found (i.e. consumer electronics), discounts of 50% are extremely unlikely. However, deep discounts are often possible on merchandise such as clothes. However, if there is a shop that is selling goods with a 50% discount, most local people will likely avoid buying there because it's too good to be true.

Electronics, such as mobile phones, are no longer "really really" cheap in Hong Kong, over and above any other country. Ordering from an online retailer in your home country, you can often get the product cheaper than in Hong Kong, even though the product is often shipping over from Kowloon. Mobile phones especially are a status symbol and Hong Kongers pay considerably more for the same phone as they sell overseas for half the cost.

Electronics stores are often packed together in the same place, so it is often easy to spend a few minutes comparing prices, and to know the prevailing international prices. Start by asking for a 10 to 20% discount and see how they respond to you. Sometimes it maybe appropriate to ask "is there any discount?" or "do I get any free gift?". It is sometimes possible to get an additional discount if you pay cash because credit card companies charge 3% on your bill.

Tourist traps

The reputation for being a shopping paradise is well deserved in Hong Kong and, added to which, it is also a safe place to shop. Overcharging is seen as an immoral business practice by most local people, and is unlikely to spoil your holiday. Plenty of hotlines are available for complaints.

In areas crowded with tourists, traps do exist. They are often nameless consumer electronics stores with attention grabbing neon signs advertising reputable brand names. Many traps can be spotted if they have numerous employees in a very small store space. Often, several of these stores can be found in a row, especially along Nathan Road (and most of Tsim Sha Tsui), in Kowloon, Mong Kok and in parts of Causeway Bay.

One trick is to offer you a low price on an item, take your money only to 'discover' that it is out of stock, and then offer you an inferior item instead. Another trick is to give you a great price on a camera, take your credit card, and before handing over the camera convince you to buy another "better one" at an inflated cost. They may also try to mislead you into buying an inferior product, by claiming that it is a quality product.

Watch out for persons (usually of Indian subcontinental descent) who approach tourists in the busier areas of Kowloon (especially Tsim Sha Tsui). They do spot Westerners from a great distance and will make a direct line toward you to sell you usually either a suit or watch ("Genuine Copy" is the a phrase often used). Learn to spot them from a distance (since they are already looking for you), make eye-contact, put up your hand and definitively shake your head. Good, strong body language in this regard will help you be approached far less.

Although the law is strictly enforced, tourists traps are usually designed by villains who are experts at exploiting gray areas in the law. Remember, no one can help you if unscrupulous shop owners haven't actually broken the law.

The official Hong Kong Tourism Board has also introduced the Quality Tourism Services (QTS) Scheme that keeps a list of reputable shops, restaurants and hotels. The shops registered usually cater only to tourists, while shops that offer you the best deals usually don't bother to join the programme.

Watch out for people around Nathan road asking you where you're going. Don't tell them which hostel or hotel you're searching for, otherwise they will offer to "take you there".

Refunds

Many shops are reluctant to refund if you just don't like what you bought. They are more willing to exchange products that haven't been tampered with or replace defective goods. Going against the trend, Marks & Spencer and Giordano both offer refunds without too much fuss.

Like many crowded urban areas where most people rely on public transport, many Hongkongers shop little and often, so therefore there is an abundance of convenience stores which can be found on almost every street corner and in most train stations. These include 7-Eleven, Circle K (known as 'OK' by the locals) and Vanguard. Convenience stores are more expensive (except for beer on a per can basis, especially when there's a 2 x $x special) but are normally open 24-7 and sell magazines, soft drinks, beer, instant noodles, packaged sandwiches, microwavable ready-meals, snacks, contraceptives and cigarettes. Many stores have an in-store microwave for preparing ready-meals as well as hot water for preparing instant noodles and instant tea/coffee, and also provide chopsticks and western cutlery for eating food on the go.

Park 'n' Shop, Wellcome, Aeon are the three main supermarket chains in Hong Kong and they have branches in almost every neighbourhood, some of which open 24-7. Aeon (永旺超市，previously 'JUSCO吉之岛') is a popular japanese-style retail chain in Hong Kong. Aeon offers wide selection of reasonably priced and quality products. Travellers looking for quick bites and household products can have their safe bet at Aeon supermarkets.

However, most supermarkets will have friendly staff, who are prepared to help a Westerner. It's also a great opportunity to practice Cantonese greetings and small-talk and/or your numbers (great for the markets later).

If there are "Superstore" supermarkets, these are bigger, less cramped and often have more specials (or a better range, especially of drinks and snacks).

In urban areas, some stores are located underground and tend to be very small and cramped, although they have a much wider product choice and are somewhat cheaper than the above convenience stores. City'super, Great and Taste are expensive upmarket supermarkets that focus on high-quality products that are aimed towards a more affluent market. Apita and JUSCO are large Japanese-style supermarkets with a wide product selection and food courts. The YATA department store, fully owned and operated by Hong Kong companies that have zero ties with any Japanese parties, also trying to offer somewhat Japanese-sytle supermarket experience.

Cuisine plays an important part in many peoples' lives in Hong Kong. Not only is it a showcase of Chinese cuisines with huge regional varieties, but there are also excellent Asian and Western choices. Although Western food is often adapted to local tastes, Hong Kong is a good place for homesick travellers who have had enough of Chinese food. The Michelin guide to Hong Kong is considered to be the benchmark of good restaurants. Open Rice also provides a great directory of local restaurants. This is a fairly safe way to find a few "hole in the wall" style restaurants or eating places, whilst still experiencing good, local food. According to Restaurant magazine, 4 of the best 100 restaurants in the world are in Hong Kong.

You may meet some local people who haven't cooked at home for a decade. Locals love to go out to eat since it is much more practical than socializing in crowded spaces at home. A long queue can be a local sport outside many good restaurants during peak hours. Normally, you need to register first, get a ticket and wait for empty seats. Reservations are usually only an option in upmarket restaurants.

Chinese food is generally eaten with chopsticks. However, restaurants serving western food usually provide a knife, fork and spoon. Do not stick your chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice, as this is reminiscent of incense sticks burning at the temple and has connotations of wishing death on those around you. In addition, chopsticks should not be used to move bowls and plates or make any noise. Dishes in smaller eateries might not come with a serving spoon, although staff will usually provide one if you request.

A few Hong Kong customs to be aware of:

To thank the person who pours your tea Cantonese style, tap two or three fingers on the table. The legend suggests a story involving a Chinese emperor travelling incognito and his loyal subjects wanting to kowtow (bow) to him without blowing their cover — hence the "finger kowtow".

If you want more tea in the pot, leave the lid open, and it will be refilled.

It is not unusual for customers to rinse their plates and utensils with hot tea before starting their meal, and a bowl is often provided for this very purpose. This is due to the fact that cheaper restaurants may often have washing residues on dishes or utensils.

Except for very expensive places, there is no real dress code in Hong Kong. You will often see people in suits and others in t-shirts in the same restaurant.

See also Chinese table manners for more details. While certain etiquette is different, Chinese manners for using chopsticks apply to Hong Kong too.

You can usually tell how cheap (or expensive) the food is from the decor of the restaurant (menus are not always displayed outside restaurants). Restaurants in Soho in Central, in 5-star restaurants, or in other high-rent areas are usually more expensive than restaurants that are off the beaten path. It is easy to find places selling mains for well under HK$80, offering both local and international food. Local fast food chains such as Café de Coral and Maxim's MX offer meals in the vicinity of HK$30, with standardised English menus for easy ordering. Yoshinoya (a Japanese chain) sell Japanese style Gyudon (beef and rice) and Teriyaki-style Chicken (with rice or noodles) for a very reasonable price. Mid-range restaurants generally charge in excess of HK$100 for mains. At the top end, restaurants, such as Felix or Aqua, can easily see you leave with a bill in excess of HK$1500 (including entrées (appetizers), mains, desserts and drinks).
A new rising trend worth checking out is PlateCulture where you can book local private restaurants. It offers a service similar to Airbnb but for food and is a great way to get to know locals and find private restaurants otherwise inaccessible to travellers.

Dim sum (點心), literally means 'to touch (your) heart', is possibly the best known Cantonese dish. Served at breakfast and lunch, these delicately prepared morsels of Cantonese cuisine are often served with Chinese tea.

Siu mei a general name for roast meats made in a Hong Kong style, including roast pork belly, roasted over an open firepork (叉燒 char siu), roast duck or chicken. With the addition of a slightly crispy honey sauce layer, the final taste is of a unique, deep barbecue flavour. Rice with roasted pork (叉燒 char siu), roasted duck, pork with a crisp crackling, or Fragrant Queen's chicken (香妃雞), are common dishes that are enduring favourites for many, including local superstars.

Cantonese congee (juk) is a thin porridge made with rice boiled in water. Served at breakfast, lunch or supper, the best version is as soft as 'floss', it takes up to 10 hours to cook the porridge to reach this quality. Congee is usually eaten with savoury Chinese doughnuts (油炸鬼 yau char kway) and steamed rice pastry (腸粉 cheong fun) which often has a meat or vegetable filling.

Hong Kong has several restaurant chains that specialise in congee, but none of them have earned the word-of-mouth respect from local gourmets. The best congee places are usually in older districts, often owned by elderly people who are patient enough to spend hours making the best floss congee.

When asked what food makes Hong Kong people feel home, wonton noodles (雲吞麵) is one of the favourite answers. Wonton are dumplings usually made from minced prawn but may contain small amounts of pork.

Rice pastry is also a popular dish from southern China. Found particularly in Teochew and Hokkien areas in China, its popularity is widespread throughout east Asia. In Hong Kong, it is usually served in soup with beef and fish balls and sometimes with deep-fried crispy fish skins.

A popular Cantonese dessert is a sweet soup called tong sui (糖水, literal: sugar water). Popular versions are usually made with black sesame paste(芝麻糊), walnuts (核桃糊) or sago (西米露) which are usually sticky in texture. Other traditional ones include red bean paste(紅豆沙), green bean paste(綠豆沙) and tofu pudding(豆腐花). Lo ye (撈野) is a similar dish. Juice is put into a ultra-cold pan to make an ice paste, it is usually served with fresh fruit and sago.

Hot milk tea Hong Kong style
You might expect that after more than a century of colonial rule tea might be served British style – well, almost. Order a cup of hot Hong Kong tea (熱奶茶) in a traditional cafe and what you will get will be a cup of the strongest brew imaginable. With the addition of evaporated milk, this is not a drink for the faint-hearted.

A uniquely Hong Kong-style eatery starting to make waves elsewhere in Asia is the cha chaan teng (茶餐廳), literally "tea cafe", but offering fusion fast food that happily mixes Western and Eastern fare: innovations include noodles with Spam, stir-fried spaghetti and baked rice with cheese. Usually a wide selection of drinks is also available, almost always including the popular tea-and-coffee mix yuenyeung (鴛鴦), and perhaps more oddities (to the Western palate) like boiled Coke with ginger or iced coffee with lemon. Orders are usually recorded on a chit at your table and you pay at the cashier as you leave.

Showing signs of British colonial influence, tea time (Hang cha) plays an important role in Hong Kong's stressful office life. Usually starting at 2PM to 3PM, a typical tea set goes with a cup of 'silk-stocking' tea, egg tarts and sandwiches with either minced beef, egg or ham, but without vegetables and cheese.

Similar to Malaysian 'teh tarik', Hong Kong's variation shares a similar taste. The key difference is that a sackcloth bag is used to filter the tea leaves and the tea-dyed sackcloth resembles silk stockings, giving the name 'silk-stocking milk tea'. Milk tea, to some Hong Kong people, is an important indicator on the quality of a restaurant. If a restaurant fails to serve reasonably good milk tea, locals might be very harsh with their criticism. Yuanyang is also a popular drink mixed with milk tea and coffee.

A signal to tell you teatime has come is a small queue lining up in bakery to buy egg tarts (a teatime snack with outer pastry crust and filled with egg custard). Don't attempt to make a fool of yourself by telling people that the egg tart was brought to Hong Kong by the British – egg tarts made their way to Hong Kong via Macau, which was a colony of Portugal. When a long-established egg tart shop in Central was closed due to skyrocketing rental payments, it became the SAR's main news and many people came to help the owners look for a new place.

Sample as many different egg tarts from local shops and find the best in your local area.

To stuff your stomach in a grassroots Chaa Chan Teng (茶餐廳) (local tea restaurant), expect to pay HK$10-20 for milk, tea or coffee, HK$8-10 for a toast, and HK$25-50 for a dish of rice with meats. Wonton noodles generally cost HK$20-30.

The cheapest food is in the popular street stalls. Most of the people working there do not speak much English and there is no English on the menu. However if you could manage to communicate, street-style eating is an excellent way to experience local food. Point, use fingers (or Cantonese numbers) and smile. They're usually willing to help. Local specialities include curry fish meat balls (咖喱魚蛋), fake shark fin soup (碗仔翅) made with beans and vermicelli noodles, egg waffle (雞蛋仔), fried three filled treasures (煎釀三寶, vegetable filled with fish meat), fried intestines on a stick, fried squid or octopus and various meats on sticks (such as satay style chicken).

Seafood is very popular and is widely available. The best places to eat seafood include Sai Kung, Sam Shing, Po Doi O and Lau Fau Shan in the New Territories and Hong Kong's islands, particularly Lamma and Cheung Chau, are abound with seafood restaurants. Seafood is not cheap. Prices range from HK$200 per head for a very basic dinner, to HK$300-500 for better choices and much more for the best on offer.

Expect to find a mismatch between the high prices for the food and the quality of the restaurant. Sometimes the best food is served in the most basic eateries where tables maybe covered in cheap plastic covers rather than a more formal tablecloth. Often, Cantonese people value the food more than the decor. If one of your travelling companions does not like seafood, don't panic, many seafood restaurants have extensive menus that cater for all tastes. A number of seafood restaurants specialise in high quality roast chicken that is especially flavoursome. Many exotic delicacies like abalone, conch and bamboo clam can be found for sale in many seafood restaurants but you might want to avoid endangered species such as shark and juvenile fish.

While Hong Kong has long banned dog and cat meat and has strict rules on importing many meats of wild life animals, snake meat is commonly seen in winter in different restaurants that bear the name "Snake King". Served in a sticky soup, it is believed to warm your body.

There's an ongoing debate over the consumption of shark fin in Hong Kong, which is the biggest importer of this exotic cuisine. Commonly served at wedding parties and other important dining events, shark fin is served in a carefully prepared stew usually at $80 per bowl to $1000. The consumption of shark fin is a controversial topic and the Hong Kong WWF is campaigning against consumption of this endangered species.

Due to the large number of foreign residents in Hong Kong, there are many restaurants that serve authentic international cuisine at all price levels. This includes various types of Indian, Thai, Korean, Japanese and European foods. These can often be found in, though not restricted to, entertainment districts such as Lan Kwai Fong, Soho or Knutsford Terrace. Of these, Soho is probably the best for eating as Lan Kwai Fong is primarily saturated with bars and clubs. Top chefs are often invited or try to make their way to work in Hong Kong.

Home-dining is catching on as a very popular trend in Hong Kong. PlateCulture and BonAppeTour are a great way to discover local chefs who would love to have you over for an evening dinner. It's a great way to make friends over home-made food, and company.

Barbecue (BBQ) meals are a popular local pastime. Many areas feature free public barbecue pits where everybody roasts their own food, usually with long barbeque forks. It's not just sausages and burgers – the locals enjoy cooking a variety of things at BBQ parties, such as fish, beef meatballs, pork meatballs, chicken wings, and so on. A good spot is the Southern Hong Kong Island, where almost every beach is equipped with many free BBQ spots. Just stop by a supermarket and buy food, drinks and BBQ equipment. The best spots are Shek O (under the trees at the left hand side of the beach) and Big Wave Bay.

The number of restaurants in Hong Kong can make choosing one daunting, not to mention it is easy to find food, but not so easy to find great food. There are several licensed tour operators in Hong Kong specialising in food tours. Eating Adventures offers regular group tours of Mongkok and Hong Kong Island, with expert local guides. .

Wet markets are still prevalent. Freshness is a key ingredient to all Chinese food, so frozen meat and vegetables are frowned upon, and most markets display freshly butchered beef and pork (with entrails), live fish in markets, and more exotic shellfish, frogs, turtles and sea snails. Local people often go to the market every day to buy fresh ingredients, just like the restaurants.

Cooked food centres are often found in the same building as some of the indoor wet markets. Tables that were once located on the street have been swept into sterile concrete buildings. Inside, the atmosphere is like a food court without the frills. Cooked food centres provide economic solutions to diners, but you might need to take along a Cantonese speaker, or be brave.

Supermarkets include Wellcome and Park N Shop. Speciality supermarkets catering to Western and Japanese tastes include City Super and Great. 24 hour convenience stores 7-Eleven and Circle K can be found almost anywhere in urban areas.

Some Hong Kongers do drink a lot but do not expect the binge-drinking culture found in some other countries and parts of the mainland. There are many neighbourhoods in Hong Kong without much in the way of a bar or pub. Drinking alcohol with food is acceptable and you'll often see older Chinese men and workers having a bottle with their meal from street vendors or dai pai dong, but there is no expectation to order alcohol with your meal in any restaurant. A number of popular eateries do not sell alcohol because of a licence restriction.

Lan Kwai Fong (Central), Wan Chai and Knutsford Terrace (Kowloon) are the three main drinking areas where locals, expats and tourists mingle together. Here you will certainly find a party atmosphere, Hong Kong parties VERY hard every night of the week.

The minimum age for drinking in a bar is 18 years. There is usually a requirement for young adults to prove their age, especially when going to a nightclub. The accepted ID in clubs is either your passport or a Hong Kong ID card. Photocopies are rarely accepted due to minors using fake documents.

Some clubs in Lan Kwai Fong has imposed a dress code on customers and tourists are of no exception. As a general rule, shorts or pants that are above knee length should be avoided.

Drinking out in Hong Kong can be expensive. Beer usually starts from HK$50 for a pint and more in a bar popular among expats or specialist bars serving craft beer or American micro beer. However, away from the tourist trail, some Chinese restaurants may have a beer promotion aimed at meeting the needs of groups of diners. In cooked food centres, usually found at the wet markets, young women are often employed to promote a particular brand of beer. Convenience stores such as Circle-K, and supermarkets all sell a reasonable range of drinks at a very reasonable price, and are your best bet if you don't need to be in a bar to drink. In Lan Kwai Fong, the 7-Eleven there is a very popular 'bar' for party-animals on a budget. The trick is to find a small niche pub frequented by locals (usually banking and finance working class) the prices at these places are much cheaper and the crowd is better too. Talk to your cab driver for more information. They usually know where these places are. Best time to discover them is after 1:00 AM in the morning.

During Wednesdays and Thursdays Ladies night applies in some bars in Wan Chai and Lan Kwai Fong, which in most cases means that women can enter bars and clubs for free, and in some rare cases also get their drinks paid for the night. At weekends, several bars and clubs in these areas also have an 'open bar' for some of the night, which means you can drink as much as you like.

Smoking Restrictions
A no-smoking ban is currently in effect. The ban includes a number of outdoor locations such as university campuses, parks, gardens, bus stops, and beaches, extends to places such as bars, clubs and saunas. A substantial fine of up to $5,000 will be charged if caught smoking in the wrong place. There is also a penalty of $1,500 for dropping cigarette butts. Unlike mainland China the laws are strictly enforced and followed.

Tourists are only allowed to import no more than 19 duty-free cigarettes or 25g of tobacco products. According to one local account, a man was fined $2000 after being found guilty of carrying five packs of cigarettes.

Illegal duty-free cigarettes can be seen for sale in several locations, such as night markets, but both the buyer and seller may be charged for smuggling. Be aware that the police are known to launch frequent raids at any time. Once caught, ignorance is not an accepted defence.

Cigarettes in Hong Kong cost around $50 for a pack of 20. Hand-rolling tobacco is available in speciality shops, but also in some convenience stores.

Electronic cigarettes have been introduced to Hong Kong dating back to 2004, but the sale, possession and use of nicotine-containing cartridges are illegal. The Hong Kong government has cracked down shops that sell nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, declaring it a pharmaceutical product which must be registered before sale under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, but the prohibitive cost of clinical and laboratory reports means that no e-cigarettes are registered. The Health Department also declared illegal to smoke non-nicotine e-cigarettes in an indoor area. [46]

With more than 50,000 rooms available, Hong Kong offers a huge choice of accommodation from cheap digs to super luxury. However, budget travellers who are spoiled by cheap prices in the rest of Asia are often shocked that the accommodation cost in Hong Kong is closer to that of London and New York.

While it is possible to get a dorm bed for HK$120-150, a single room for HK$270-400, and a double room for HK$400-500, you should not expect anything in these rooms except a bed, with barely enough space in the room to open the door. Accommodation with reasonable space, decoration, and cleanness is usually priced from HK$150-200+ for a dorm bed, HK$450-600 for a single room, HK$700 for a double room, and HK$800 for a triple room.

Most cheap guesthouses are located along Nathan Road between Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok. Expect a tiny, undecorated room with just enough room for a bed. Bathrooms are often shared and noise could be a problem for light sleepers. Be sure to read the online reviews before booking as bed bugs, dirty beds, and unclean bathrooms have been reported. Keep your expectations as realistically low as possible.

Popular guesthouse clusters are inside the 17-floor Chungking Mansions Tower (Nathan Road 36-44) (重慶大廈 in Chinese, nicknamed Chungking Jungles by some local people), Mirador Mansions (美麗都大廈) in Tsim Sha Tsui, and New Lucky House (華豐大廈) (15 Jordan Road). These towers are all located in the city centre and close to the buses to/from the airport. While these towers are regarded as slums by the locals, if you ignore the fake watch sellers and disturbing pimps, the towers are well-patrolled and safe.

Note on Chung King Mansions Those searching for hostels or looking at budget hotel/guesthouse rooms online will quickly notice that most of the options are in this one building. Googling this building will then produce some scary stories that may put travelers off and force them into more expensive accommodation. However, Chung King Mansions underwent a serious security overhaul a few years ago and is now very safe, including for solo female travelers, due to security cameras in most public places, qualified security personnel and a general change in attitude. The 'horror stories' are either old or are self-aggrandizing backpacker bloggers exaggerating their personal danger to make their experiences seem more adventurous – don't believe it. What is true is that the rooms are very small, the stairwells (though not the rooms themselves) are pretty filthy and you will be offered drugs (but they will not harass you further if you decline).

Another cluster of hostels and guesthouses can be found on Paterson Street near Causeway Bay. While not as centrally-located as the mansions, the internet connections are more reliable and the rooms are generally clean. However, they are still small and cramped. Do not expect a great atmosphere or spacious rooms.

Notice that some drab "guesthouses", especially those in Kowloon Tong, Mong Kok, and Causeway Bay, may actually be love hotels.

The Hong Kong Youth Hostel Association operates 7 youth hostels. All of them are located outside the city and cost HK$100-$300 to reach via taxi when public transport service is not operating. All but the one on Hong Kong Island also have strict curfew rules and require guests to leave the site from 10:00 to 16:00 (13:00 – 15:00 on public holidays). Free shuttle bus service is provided by several hostels but the service stops at 10:30pm.

The government advises travellers to stay in hostels with licences, this website may help you a lot: The Office of Licensing Authority maintains an online list of licensed accommodation establishments.

There are
41 camping sites in Hong Kong. The facilities are on a "first-come-first-served" basis and places are booked quickly during weekends and public holidays. You are not allowed to camp other than in a designated camp site (identified by the sign board erected by the Country and Marine Parks Authority) and this rule is strictly enforced.

If the mansions and hostels are too cramped for you, Hong Kong is a good place to spend a bit extra and get a proper hotel room. Many rooms in basic business hotels in the city centre can be had for $700 per night.

For affluent travellers, Hong Kong houses some of the best world class hotels that run a fierce competition for your wallets by offering pick-up service by helicopter, a Michelin star restaurant, and extravagant spas. Major international chains are also well-represented. Five-star hotels include The Peninsula, Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons, The Upper House, Grand Hyatt, Conrad, Le Meridien, W, InterContinental, The Langham, JW Marriott, Ritz Carlton, and Shangri-La. Rooms usually start from HK$2,000.

With an effective legal system and public awareness, Hong Kong is one of the safest cities in the world. However, pickpockets are not uncommon in Hong Kong, especially in crowded areas. Needless to say, common sense should be used as you do in other parts of the world. Although local people feel safe to carry a knapsack with a wallet inside, one should be wary in crowded areas where pickpockets are likely to strike, particularly at the main tourist attractions. Do not wave your wallet in public, show the cash inside, or letting people know where you keep your wallet.

When you travel to crowded areas, some of them such as Sham Shui Po and Mong Kok have had bad reputation for crime by Hong Kong standards. As they are crowded and relatively poorer areas, involving pickpockets, and infamously acid spills in Mong Kok.

Hong Kong films have often portrayed triads (三合會) as gun wielding gangsters who fear nobody, but that only happens in the movies. Even in their heyday, triads tended to engage only in prostitution (which is legal itself, but organised prostitution, i.e. pimping or brothels, are not), counterfeiting or loan-sharking and lived underground lives, and rarely targeted the average person on the street. Just stay away from the triads by avoiding loan sharks and illegal betting.

Call 999 when you urgently need help from the Police, Fire and Ambulance services. Hong Kong has a strict service control system, so once you call 999, the police should show up within 10 minutes in most cases, usually less. For non-emergency police assistance, call 2527-7177. However, not all policemen are good. There is a culture for policemen to persuade reporters not to insist on continuing the investigation. They may say that it is unlikely the suspects can be found or do whatever to close the file. Record their identity number and make complaints whenever necessary.

These have become increasing common, that some random strangers or shop keepers offer "discounts" on their products. The key to avoid tourist traps is "if it sounds too good to be true, it is".
- Know what you want. Do not allow the salesman to talk you into something else unless you know what you are doing
- Check the goods and always ask for a receipt before walking out of the store
- When buying electronics, always check there is an International warranty

Most travellers who have got into trouble with the law are involved with illicit drugs. Drugs such as ecstasy (MDMA) and marijuana are subject to tight control and tourists risk immediate arrest if they are found in possession of even small amounts of banned substances. Most Hongkongers tend to have strong negative views against narcotics, including 'soft' drugs such as marijuana.

Under Hong Kong law, local residents are required to carry Identity Cards with them at all times, and the police frequently carry out spot checks when they have "reasonable grounds for suspicion". Tourists are advised by the government to carry their passports but unless you think you are highly likely to be stopped by the police there is no great need; most visitors choose to keep their passport in a safe place. People will not target you because you are dressed well. People in Hong Kong often dress up. Caucasians are rarely targeted by policemen for ID checks. Mainland Chinese and South Asians, especially Pakistanis and Nepalis often get targeted by policemen. As long as you dress well (this does not mean formally), you are unlikely to be targeted

You are expected to cooperate with the police during their investigations, and understand that they may search your pockets and bags. By the law, you can reject a request to search your bags and body in public. You also have the right to refuse to answer any questions, to contact your embassy and to apply for legal assistance. The police are obligated to comply with your request but they may detain you for up to 48 hours.

Discrimination is known to happen. People with a good educational background and reputable jobs are usually better treated by the police, while young people, those from developing countries and western countries with loose regulations on drugs may experience more frequent checks. The police and the government are exempt from the Race Discrimination Ordinance. However, there is a law to ban any form of police brutality, including verbal attacks and any use of foul language. Call 2866-7700 for the official Independent Police Complaints Council and report the officer's badge number displayed on his/her shoulder. The complaint will be taken seriously.

Traffic rules are seriously enforced in Hong Kong where penalties can be stringent, and road conditions are excellent, although road courtesy remains to have a room to improve. However, the driving speed can be so fast to claim more death toll when accidents happen.

Signage on the roads in Hong Kong is similar to usage in England. Zebra lines (zebra crossings) indicate crossing areas for pedestrians and traffic comes from the right. To stay safe, visit the Transport Department's website [47] for complete details.

Crossing the road by foot should also be exercised with great care. Traffic in Hong Kong generally moves fast once the signal turns green. To help both the visually impaired and even people who are not, an audible aid is played at every intersection. Rapid bells indicate "Walk"; intermittent bells (10 sets of 3 bells) indicate "Do Not Start to Cross"; and slow bells indicate "Do Not Walk".

Jay-walking' is an offence and police officers may be out patrolling accident black-spots. It's is not uncommon to see local people waiting to cross an empty road – when this happens, you should also wait because it maybe that they have noticed that the police are patrolling the crossing.

Hong Kong is ranked as the world's 13th "cleanest" region in the Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International which aims to put an end to corruption, outpacing the U.S and most European countries such as Germany and France. The territory has a powerful anti-corruption police force: the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which has been taken as a role model by Interpol and the United Nations. A number of countries, such as Australia have adopted the Hong Kong system to combat corruption.

In Hong Kong, corruption is a serious offense and giving bribes to civil servants will certainly result in a prison sentence. Money given for unfair and illegitimate competition may also be regarded as a bribe.

Protests are the national sport in Hong Kong. The biggest one usually happens in 1st July in the noon time. Participants range from dozens of thousands to 500,000. Public transportation along Causeway Bay, Wanchai, Central may be affected from noon to 6:00PM. On every 4th June, hundreds of thousands of people will also hold the biggest vigil night in the Victoria Park to commemorate the death of victims on the Tiananman Square Massacre in 1989.

Hong Kong protests have a deserved reputation for its mildness, orderliness, non-violence and minimal annoyance to others. In recent years, local conservatives complain a growing "extremist" behaviours which refer to protesters who sleep on a traffic road outside the government offices and bring a paper coffin to the government buildings. These usually do not cause troubles to travellers.

Several hikers have lost their lives in the wilderness in the past decade. Hikers should equip themselves with detailed hiking maps, compass, mobile phones, snacks and adequate amounts of drinking water. Most areas of the countryside are covered by a mobile phone network but in some places you will only be able to pickup a mobile phone signal from mainland China. In this case, it is not possible to dial 999 for emergency assistance. A number of emergency telephones have been placed in Country Parks, their locations are clearly marked on all hiking maps.

Heat stroke is a major problem for hikers who lack experience of walking in a warm climate. If you plan to walk a dog during the hot summer months, remember that dogs are more vulnerable to heat stroke than humans and owners should ensure their pets get adequate rest and water.

The cooler hiking and camping season in October to February is also the time of the year when hill fires likely strike. At the entrances to country parks you will likely observe signs warning you of the current fire risk. With an average of 365 hill fires a year, you should take the risk of fire seriously and dispose of cigarettes and matches appropriately. According to some hikers' accounts, in places where fires and camping is not allowed, the Staff of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) will most likely fine an offender.

While it's generally very safe to hike, the countryside can provide shelter to illegal immigrants and a few cases of robbery have been known. However, the police do patrol hiking routes and most major paths do offer the security of fellow hikers.

Natural disasters are not usually a major issue in Hong Kong. There are no nearby fault lines, so earthquakes are rare and relatively mild when they do happen. The main hazards that Hong Kong faces are typhoons and floods.

Typhoons normally occur during the months of May to November, and are particularly prevalent during July to September. Whenever a typhoon approaches within 800km of Hong Kong, typhoon warning signal 1 is issued. Signal 3 is issued as the storm approaches. When winds reach speeds of 63-117 km/hour, signal 8 is issued. At this point, most nonessential activities shut down, including shops, restaurants and the transport system, offices and schools. Ferry services will be suspended, so visitors should return to their accommodation as soon as possible if they are dependent on these boat services to reach a place of safety. Signal 9 and 10 will be issued depending on the proximity and intensity of the storm. Winds may gust at speeds exceeding 220 km/hour causing masonry and other heavy objects to fall to the ground. During a typhoon, visitors should heed all warnings very seriously and stay indoors until the storm has passed. Remember that if the eye of the storm passes directly over there will be a temporary period of calm followed by a sudden resumption of strong winds from a different direction.

Some taxis are available during signal 8 or above, but they are under no obligation to serve passengers as their insurance is no longer effective under such circumstances. Taxi passengers are expected to pay up to 100% more when a typhoon strikes.

Rainstorms also have their own warning system. In increasing order of severity, the levels are amber, red and black. A red or black rainstorm is a serious event and visitors should take refuge inside buildings. A heavy rainstorm can turn a street into a river and cause serious landslides.

The Hong Kong Observatory [48] is the best place to get detailed weather information when in Hong Kong. In summer a convectional rainstorm may affect only a small area and give you the false impression that all areas are wet.

The quality of medical care in Hong Kong is excellent but expensive for tourists who are not qualified to get a government subsidy. In cases of emergency, treatment is guaranteed, but you will be billed later if you cannot pay immediately. As a tourist, you are required to pay $570 for using emergency services ($100 for Hong Kong residents). Waiting times at hospital emergency rooms can be lengthy for non emergency patients, since people are prioritised according to their situation. If you have a problem making payment in public hospitals, you can apply for financial assistance but you will need to prove your economic status to social workers based in the hospital.

One common cause of sickness is the extreme temperature change between 35°C humid summer weather outdoors and 18°C air-conditioned buildings and shopping malls. Some people experience cold symptoms after moving between the two extremes. You are recommended to carry a sweater even in the summer-time.

Heat stroke is also common when hiking. Carry enough water and take scheduled rests before you feel unwell.

Healthcare standards in Hong Kong are on par with the West, and finding a reputable medical professional is not much of a problem should you get sick. Medical professionals come in two flavours: those that practice traditional Chinese medicine and the Western variety. Both are taken equally seriously in Hong Kong, but as a visitor the assumption will be to direct you to a Western professional. Professionals that practice Western medicine almost always speak English fluently, but you may find the receptionist to be more of a challenge.

Seeing a professional is as easy as walking off the street and making an appointment with the receptionist. Generally you will be seen within an hour or less, but take note of the opening times displayed in the window of the office. A straightforward consultation for a minor ailment might cost around $150 to $500, but your bill will be inclusive of medicine. In Hong Kong, it is normal for a professional to sell you medicine. Most surgeries and hospitals will accept credit cards. Expect to pay more if you visit a swanky surgery in Central. Check the directory[49] maintained by the Hong Kong Medical Association for information on doctors. Finding general practitioners, medical specialists, and dentists are available on forums and the web. A well-regarded physical therapy (physiotherapy) specialist is SOS Physiotherapy at 6/F Shum Tower, 268 De Voeux Road, Sheung Wan (MTR Exit B), Central (+852 2543 3218).

Tap water in Hong Kong has been proven to be drinkable, although most of the local people still prefer to boil and chill their drinking water when it is taken from the tap. The official advice from the Water Board is that the water is perfectly safe to drink unless you are living in an old building with outdated plumbing and poorly maintained water tanks. Bottled water is strongly recommended by locals but remember that Hong Kong's landfill sites are filling up fast and plastic bottles are a major environmental problem, so use recycling bins where provided.

Despite Hong Kong's name meaning "fragrant harbour", this is not always so. Air pollution is a big problem due to a high population density and industrial pollution from mainland China. During periods of very bad air pollution tourists will find visibility drastically reduced, especially from Victoria Peak. Persons with serious respiratory problems should seek medical advice before travelling to the territory and ensure that they bring ample supplies of any relevant medication.

Pollution is a contentious topic in Hong Kong and is the number one issue among environmental campaigners. Much of the pollution originates from factories in mainland China and from Hong Kong motorists. Levels of pollution can vary according to the season. The winter monsoon can bring polluted air from the mainland, whilst the summer monsoon can bring cleaner air off the South China Sea.

Hong Kong has significant cultural differences from mainland China due to its evasion of communist ideologies during the colonial age. After it was handed to China in 1997, the city has kept their independent and reputable legal system, effective anti-corruption measures, free press that cover a sensitive topic such as Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989. They speak a different language (Cantonese vs. Mandarin), write with different characters (traditional vs. simplified Chinese) and hold a different passport (Hong Kongese vs. Chinese). However, since the handover, the freedom in Hong Kong has been deteriorating, marked by increasing censorship and dominance of Chinese influence over Hong Kong's politics. You will quickly annoy locals if you suggest that Hong Kongers are Chinese in the same way as people who live in China.

In general, during a conversation, it is best to avoid subjects of politics. If you are asked your opinion, best to be neutral about it. However, there is no need to worry of getting into trouble solely by discussing politics. In Hong Kong, freedom of speech and the press are protected in law. Hong Kong people are free to criticize their government and the Chinese government.

Many foreigners are not certain whether to address Hong Kongers as "Chinese" is appropriate, or if it would cause offense. The Sino-Hong Kong relationship, as always, is a contentious topic. Many Hong Kong people do share pride in being culturally Chinese; at the same time they seek to distinguish themselves, both culturally and politically, from China (such as Hong Kongers speaking Cantonese and writing traditional Chinese). Many Hong Kongers cannot speak Mandarin and there are many who do not prefer speaking the language, since they consider it foreign and do not wish to be identified as Chinese. Hong Kongers are among the populations with highest proficiency in English in East Asia and in many cases speaking English will do if you cannot communicate in Cantonese. In general it is fine to address Hong Kong people as "culturally Chinese", or "ethnic Chinese" when it comes to ethnicity. It is however safest to identify people as "Hong Kongese", an identity virtually no one would disagree on.

Furthermore, opinions are very divided among whether Hong Kong should have a close relationship with China or not. Some Hong Kong people think every ethnic Chinese should support the current regime in China (a requirement for all candidates of the head of the Hong Kong government). However, some people interpret this as supporting the Chinese communist party. Some people think closer economic ties with China will benefit Hong Kong. Some people think Hong Kong has always been self-sufficient since colonial days. Some even think that Hong Kong has to become an independent country. The arguments go on...

Hong Kong is a fast-paced society where the phrase "m goi" (唔該, "m" sounds like "hmm"), which literally means "I should not (bother you)", is used pervasively in a situation that you would say "Excuse me" or "Thank you".

Spitting and littering, an offence subject to a penalty of $1,500, is considered rude because it disturbs others. Smoking in most indoor places and train stations (including bus-stops) is prohibited. Also, the authority in Hong Kong is quite strict in enforcing the law relating to all those above. When smoking in front of a non-smoker, always ask for a permission because a lot of locals do not smoke and some are even allergic to the smell. Similarly, many locals do not drink alcohol but will not mind if you do.

While Hong Kong has a generally good reputation when it comes to customer service, it is considered strange to strike up pleasantries with a stranger unless they are pregnant, disabled or senior citizens who are obviously in need. Saying "good morning" to a person you don't know at a bus stop will probably be viewed with suspicion. It is unusual for people to hold doors for strangers and supermarket staff or bank cashier seldom ask about your day. Staff in shops and restaurants might not even say "thank you" when you pay. All these do not necessarily mean that people in Hong Kong are less polite than others, it is just they don't have a relaxed and slow-paced culture.

In recent years, there is a large influx of mainland tourists and their behaviour has made headlines in Hong Kong. Some of their behaviours were seen as "gross" by Hong Kong standard. This has unfortunately led to discrimination against mainland tourists. If you are a mainlander (or a Chinese-looking person speaking Mandarin), be prepared you may be treated in an unfriendly way by the locals. However, if you are well-behaved, the locals will soon realise that and you will be welcomed just like any others.

People have found substitutes to splash their love, attention and money on – in the form of some very pampered pooches.

Superstition is the Hong Kong psyche and it can be observed everywhere. Many buildings are influenced by the Fengshui principles which refer to a decoration style that blend the Five Elements (Gold, Lumber, Water, Fire, Earth) together, which will turn out to bring you luck, fortune, better health, good examination results, good relationships, and even a baby boy, according to their believers.

Many buildings come without 14th and 24th floors, which phonetically means "you must die" and "you die easily". They love the number 18 (you will get rich), 369 (liveliness, longevity, lasting), 28 (easy to get rich), 168 (get rich forever).

Hong Kong people love to tease at their superstition thoughts but they don't mean to ignore it. When visiting your friend in Hong Kong, never give them a clock as a gift because "giving a clock" phonetically means "attending one's funeral". No pears will be served in a wedding party because "sharing a pear" sounds like "separation". Some people refuse to open an umbrella indoor because a ghost spirit, who is thought to fear sunshine, will hide themselves into it. Breaking a mirror will bring you 7 unlucky years.

Swastikas (reversed) are commonly seen in Buddhist temples and are regarded as a religious symbol. They do not represent Nazism or anti-Semitism, so visitors should not be offended when seeing them among the possessions of locals.

When you give or receive a business card, always do it with both hands and with a slight dip of your head or you will be seen either disrespectful and ignorant, even if you are a foreigner. Welcoming someone should also be done with a slight dip of the head and with a customary firm handshake, but there is no need to bow.

You will find that the cashier may hand receipts or change with both hands too. This is considered a gesture of respect. Because you're the patron, it is up to you to do the same or not when handing cash to the cashier.

When the thermometer hits 30 degrees, expect to see many local people wearing warm clothing – this is to protect against the harsh air-conditioning often found on public transport and in places like shopping malls or cinemas.

Hong Kong women are known for their fairly conservative dress code, although wearing halter-necks and sleeveless tops are not uncommon and acceptable. Public nudity is prohibited. Being completely naked on the beach is also prohibited.

The dress code for men, especially tourists, is less conservative than it might have been. Even in 5-star hotels, smart casual is usually acceptable; although you might want to make your own enquiries in advance before dining in those places. Tourists from colder climates sometimes assume that wearing shorts in the tropics is a sensible idea, but hairy knees can look out of place in urban Hong Kong.

Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1991. The age of consent between two males is 16 according to the ruling by the Hong Kong Court of Appeal in 2006, while there is no law concerning that between two females. Same sex marriages are not recognised and there is no anti-discrimination legislation on the grounds of sexuality. The display of public affection, while not common, is generally tolerated, but it will almost certainly attract curious stares. Gay bashing is unheard of, although an effeminate boy could be a target for school bullying.

Hong Kong people generally respect personal freedom on sexuality. The prominent celebrity film star, Leslie Cheung, openly admitted that he was bisexual but his work and his personality has still been widely respected. His suicide in 2003 shocked many, and his fans, mainly female, showed considerable support for his partner.

However, while gay pride parades have recently been held in Hong Kong, there is no obvious gay community in daily life, and same-sex marriages are not legally recognised. Coming out to strangers or in the office is still regarded as peculiar and most tend to remain silent on this topic.

Gay bars and clubs are concentrated in Central, Sheung Wan, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui (TST). The quality of these venues varies considerably and will perhaps disappoint those expecting something similar to London, Paris or New York. Dim Sum magazine, available for free in most cafes, eateries, bars and clubs, is Hong Kong's bilingual GLBT magazine which gives a pretty good idea about gay and lesbian parties and events happening in Hong Kong. There's also a gay and lesbian section in TimeOut Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival is one of the longest running GLBT events in Hong Kong, and indeed in Asia. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2009, it brings to Hong Kong various international and regional GLBT films. The festival is usually held in November. Hong Kong also held its second Gay Pride ever on 1 Nov 2009, attracting over 1,800 people, gay and straight, to the event.

Postal services are efficient and of high quality. Post offices are ubiquitous and coin-operated stamp vending machines provide service when the post offices are closed. You can also buy stamps in sets of 10 from many convenience stores such as 7-Eleven or Circle K (OK). Postal rates are viewable online.

Many operators offer temporary 3G plans for as little as HK$78 per week. Obtaining a sim card is quick and hassle free – just go to a mobile phone shop, and buy a prepaid card – the price paid will already be loaded on the card and the card can be activated by making a call or sending an SMS. Prepaid data plans/passes can be activated with a USSD code listed on the card.

Hong Kong's country-code is 852 (different from mainland China (86) and Macau (853)). Local phone numbers (mobile and landlines) are typically 8 digits; no area codes are used. All numbers that begin with 5, 6, 8, or 9 are mobile numbers, while numbers beginning with 2 or 3 are fixed line numbers. For calls from Hong Kong, the standard IDD prefix is 001, so you would dial 001-(country code)-(area code)-(telephone number). Note that calls to Macau or mainland China require international dialling. For the operator, dial 1000. For police, fire or ambulance services dial 999.

Hong Kong has a world class communications infrastructure. Mobile phone usage is cheap.

Hong Kong has many mobile operators. The best choices for tourists are Three, SmarTone and CSL/one2free. All three operators offer prepaid SIM cards in micro, nano, and standard sizes. Unlimited data plans cost around HK$28 per day. Recharging your credit can be done online with a Hong Kong credit card or by purchasing vouchers from retail stores, resellers, convenience stores such as 7-Eleven and supermarkets.

Mobile phone numbers have eight digits and begin with 5, 6, or 9. Note that the telephone system is separate from Mainland China, and using Chinese SIM card would incur roaming charges. Subscriptions are available that cover both Hong Kong and mainland China, although these are longer term contracts.

Samsung Galaxy Note or Nexus phones can be rented from counters A03 or B12 in the Arrivals Hall of Hong Kong International Airport for HK$68 per day, which includes all local and international calls, 3G internet access, and a built-in city guide.

Note that all mobile phone companies charge for BOTH incoming and outgoing calls (similar to USA, but different from most European countries, Japan, Taiwan, or South Korea). Coverage is excellent, except in remote mountainous areas. Almost all operators provide a good signal, even when underground in such places as the MTR system, on board trains and in cross-harbour and other road tunnels.

Coverage is decent across all Hong Kong operators, comparison of the coverage and speeds of the networks can be found on Hong Kong Coverage maps created by OpenSignal. In general Hong Kong has advanced mobile infrastructure and was found to have the second fastest LTE in the world, after that of Sweden.

Landline phones for local calls are charged on a monthly basis with unlimited access, but be careful that hotels may charge you per call.

Payphones are available at the airport, shopping malls, government buildings, and MTR stations and cost HK$1 for a local call for 5 minutes. If you don't have a mobile phone and need to make a short local call, most restaurants, supermarkets, and shops will allow you to use their phone if you ask nicely.

China (The Commissioner's Office of the P.R.C. Foreign Ministry), 7F, Lower Block, China Resources Bldg, 26 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai (Use Wanchai MTR station and walk from there), ☎+852 3413 2300 ([email protected], fax: +852 34132312), [24]. M-F 9AM-noon and 2PM-5PM. Visas to Mainland China can be obtained from here. The normal visa service takes four working days including the day when the application is submitted but an express service of two or three working days is available for an extra fee.Nationals of the Schengen countries pay $200 for single entry visas. edit

Macau, the former Portuguese colony and present largest gambling haven in the world, is just an hour away by TurboJet [51] ferry. Ticket prices start at $159 one-way for the one-hour ride to Macau. The ferry building is near the Sheung Wan MTR station on Hong Kong Island. Less frequent ferries are also available in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon and the Hong Kong International Airport.

Zhuhai in mainland China, across the border from Macau, is 70 minutes away by ferry.

Taiwan is just a little longer than an hour away by plane. Tickets to Taipei are cheap, and from there it's easy to explore the rest of the island.

Shenzhen, mainland China's boomtown just across the border can be reached by MTR train services in about 40 minutes. Note that if you aren't a Hong Kong resident, Japanese nor Singaporean citizen, you will need to pre-arrange a visa to enter Shenzhen. The train is convenient if you are keen on shopping as it terminates in the Lo Wu commercial centre. Another alternative, especially if you are starting from the island is the ferry to Shekou which takes around 50 minutes and costs around $100.

Guangzhou, the capital of mainland China's Guangdong Province, can be reached by train within 2 hours [52]. If you are on a budget, many cross border buses are available throughout Hong Kong. The trip will take more than 3 hours, including going through customs at the border and changing buses. Check bus schedules and fares online [53].

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